So i've been banging my head about how to keep the next part of Blacksmith quest not sound mind bendingly retarded. I kinda figured it out, but now every time I work myself up to write it some stupid idea or another gets to me instead.
Idea such as this:
This is the story of the Zero.
You are Guiche-Armand de Gramont, known as Guiche the Zero, and this may be your last day as the Tristainian Academy of Magic.
Your parents sent you to attend school as a last gambit to cure your continued inability to use magic, along with a hope that you will finally make friends your age. After all, this is the place where the future leaders of Tristain are gathered and the one thing you have in spade is charisma, at least when you try. There's a Vallière prodigy in your year, even!
You succeeded in the second, somewhat. Despite your ignominious affliction, you made a single true friend among the haughty noble populace, a considerable improvement to your previous friendlessness.
Not Louise Françoise Le Blanc de la Vallière though. While the girl is a credit to her name, easily top of every class, and fair-minded in general, the 'Howling Gale' has taken an intense dislike of you, only matched by her stormy rivarly with Kirche Von Zerbst. She's the one who came up with your Runic name - 'zero magical talent, zero perceptiveness and zero ambition'.
While you can't argue with the "talent" digs and silently admit you aren't the sharpest man on the continent, you take exception to "no ambition". You have plently of ambition and worked on it in your own way.
The springtime Familiar Ritual may be the biggest roadblock yet. If you fail today, you may be expelled.
This would be the final nail in your coffin. Your parents would dishinerit you for this final disgrace, which might put a severe damper to your plans. On the upside, they might stop shoving you at old maid thrice your age.
As you step up to perform what may be your final spell at the august institution, you gather your wits and focus your will, remembering the goal that carried you here.
[]Become a member of the Royal Guard. The less said about your magic, the better, but you have spent countless hours training your mind and body, mastering every soldier's tools. While you may not have your elder brothers talents in this area either you've made it up through sheer dedication. Even at the Academy, you trained everyday, long after the sun set. The castle's maid Siesta was a kind enough soul to always keep your dinner hot and take your dirty laundry everyday.
[]As a younger, lesser child, you are expected to join the Church if you don't be used as a political chip. That's fine with you, as you're a devout follower of the Church. You aspire to serve the faith to the best of your abilities, but no disgraced noble will ever get farther than priesthood. Still you pray earnestly that the Founder's hand may guide you on your path. Montmonrency joined you from time to time, hoping to find an answer to her own trouble.
[] At first it was to escape the disapproval of your family, but you have become a true librabry rat. Even if you're not as smart as the Valliere, your hunger for knowledge is second to none. Between two books, you've found yourselves engaged in an actual conversation with the silent Tabitha, a feat in itself.
[]So what if everyone makes a fool of you? You like being the fool. Life is short, youth shorter still. All you want is to enjoy yourself, have great adventures, see the world and use your devastating looks to sow your wild oats. You are an artist, and beautiful people are your instruments. Oh~ how their tune changes once you make your way into their chambers! You have made no secrets of your activities, and have friendly rivalry with the curvaceous Kirche. In a spirit of sportmanship, you only keep count of your female conquests.^^ You really hope you'll manage to summon _something_! Losing your family's money would make like so much more unpleasant.
[]You are a kind, pleasant and humble boy. You work hard to uphold you family honor and stay unfailingly polite in the face of your peer's jeers. Despite your inadequacy, your patience and steadfastness earned you the respect of your teachers, that you return in earnest.
That is a lie.
Your family, your peers, You teachers. You hate them all.
You will never forget how your father's and mother's slowly started to look at you with the same self righteous pity as their dying dog. Behind your placid facad, you carefully keep count of the insults thrown your way. You swear, one day, you will show them all!
Only the headmaster's secretary, knows your true face. After all, kindred spirits always sees right through each other.
Yes, I'm shameless. :-[