Siffrin

GENERAL WORLD LORE:

This world is from a game called "In stars and Time", which has a world that is similar to ours in many ways. A form of magic exists called "Craft", and all humans naturally possess the ability to do it. Craft falls under three major types, with other subtypes. The major types include Scissors (Piercing), Paper (Creative), and Rock (Protective) Crafts, and each person is born with an affinity for one of these types of Craft. This means they will be able to naturally use that kind of Craft, but through study and practice, anyone can use any and all types of Craft.

Subtypes of Craft include Healing, Restorative, Sculpting, and Body Craft. Healing Craft is to aid the healing of wounds. Restorative Craft can regenerate or repair injuries or damages both to humans and objects. Sculpting Craft is a version of enchantment that allows someone to imbue an object with powers. Body Craft is the act of changing one’s own body with Craft, which has a variety of receptions across the world.

There are also two other kinds of Craft that have been considered long forgotten or impossible: Time Craft and Wish Craft. Time Craft is the ability to bend and manipulate time in unnatural ways. Wish craft is a powerful Craft that allows the granting of wishes on two principals - belief and specific rituals. It’s said that Wish Craft leaves a strong smell of sugar in the air. Overuse or powerful instances can fill the air with the scent of burnt caramel.

Vaugarde is a country vaguely based off of France from our world, with similar foods and practices. Important towns include Dormont (where the King resides), Jouvente, Bambouche, and Corbeaux. They follow a religion called the "Change Belief", and a deity called the "Change God". This belief is about the cycle of nature, and how change is the natural order of all things. It encourages people to embrace change and further themselves through it. Due to this, they have a complicated relationship with crabs, as they are “inevitable” and all creatures slowly evolve into crabs, signifying the end of change. This also inspires their most common expletive, "crab", and sometimes "Change". Replaces most swears and interjections: "What the crab", "Crabbing hell", "For Change’s sake", "Oh Change".

Vaugarde also has a couple of other traditions and beliefs, like how the largest trees in certain regions are said to have higher power. They are called Favour Trees, and are constantly wished to by the residents of the regions. Other beliefs include symbols, such as concentric circles that symbolise everything being apart of something bigger, or eggs to show the nurturing and hatching of the future.

Poteria is a country just west of Vaugarde, bordering it and being apart of the same landmass. Little is mentioned of Poteria, but it seems that they hold importance in their theatrical performances, as they are of high quality.

Mwudu is a small island country easy of Vaugarde, being separate from any other landmass. Similarly to Poteria, little is said of Mwudu, but they seem to have specific funerary rites involving sculpting of clay. This may imply a more traditional and "tribal" lifestyle, but that’s just speculation.

Ka Bue is a country on the opposite side of the world from Vaugarde, and is inspired by Asia and Japan from our world. Ka Bue believes in many minor deities called "Expressions" that have specialised domains. Expressions that are prayed to often may have communal, public shrines that anyone may use to pray for assistance. When someone dies in Ka Bue, their body is incinerated and their ashes are used to make a diamond or another precious gemstone. This likely is the inspiration for their own expletive, "Gems", used in place of most interjections and curses: "Gems above", "Oh my gems".

An island north of Vaugarde was wiped from the memories of everyone a while ago. This included its name, language, citizens, location, and even the studies they furthered. This island is tropical due to being so close to equator, and has exotic features such as amplified mountains and valleys, and black sand. The inhabitants, due to the harsh climate and tropical weather cycles, developed several of their own methods to combat it. This included Crafting specific clothing that would stay fitting for a lifetime with self-regulating temperatures. It’s believed that the island was a hub of astronomical study, of the stars and universe, and now their research has been forgotten along with the island. This astronomical study likely inspired their common expletives, "stars" and "blinding", in examples like "Oh stars", "It’s so blinding stupid", "Stars, blind it!", "This blinding thing".

PRIOR TO THE LOOPS:

Siffrin finds the group encountering a sadness, and quickly dispatches it. At this point, the group only consists of Mirabelle, Isabeau, and Odile. Mirabelle sees that Siffrin might be helpful and quickly explains that they’re planning on stopping the King, and asks if he wants to help. Considering that he has nothing better to do, Siffrin joins. They go throughout Vaugarde searching for five orbs to unlock the gate into Dormont’s house of Change.

Mirabelle (Commonly Mira or Belle) She/Her Scissors Craft, knows Paper Craft. Mirabelle is a housemaiden from Dormont’s house of Change, and believes in the Change Belief. She is a native to Vaugarde. Mirabelle is a very kind and caring soul, typically helping others whenever she can. She is incredibly smart, having taken over a hundred different classes in Dormont’s house. She’s very nervous and anxious, and stutters quite frequently, but has gotten much better over the course of the journey.

Isabeau (Commonly Isa, exclusively Za by Bonnie) He/Him Rock Craft. Isabeau was a defender, of the defenders of Jouvente before joining Mirabelle on her quest to stop the king. He strongly believes in the change belief. Isabeay is very tough and caring, like a big teddy bear, and incredibly emotionally intelligent. He knows when his friends aren’t feeling well, and sarcastically says about how they’re "fine" when they shrug him off. He wasn’t always like this though, and used to be a very stereotypical nerd before realising he hated himself for being such a coward. He used Body Craft on himself and became someone new, who he wasn’t afraid to be. He still secretly dislikes himself though, as everyone sees him as "dumb" because he’s buff and strong. Isa has a massive yet hidden crush on Siffrin, and occasionally does intimate things without realising.

Madame Odile (Usually just Odile or Madame) She/Her Paper Craft, but knows all types of Craft. Odile is a researcher hailing from Ka Bue, and joined Mirabelle to assist in her own studies. Odile is the oldest of the group, being about 40, with the others being young-ish adults. She doesn’t believe in the Change Belief, but does find it interesting. She does somewhat believe in the Expressions, but only a little. Siffrin and Isabeau once bet on what Odile’s field of study was, and she never told them. Secretly, Odile doesn’t actually study anything officially. She’s never told anyone, but she came to Vaugarde to learn about its culture, because her mother was actually Vaugardian. She was absent, however, meaning she never actually learn about one entire half of her heritage. She feels like she doesn’t belong to either country, but finds solace in how welcoming Vaugarde is. She told Siffrin about this during one of the loops, but she doesn’t remember because of the time loop.

Bonnie (Sometimes Bonbon, but usually Boniface by Odile) They/Them Craft type unknown, as they rarely participate in combat. They are chaotic and outgoing, being usually the loudest voice in the room. They also cook most of the time for the party, being on so-called "snack duty". Bonnie is a child that had joined the group due to not having anywhere to go, after their sister was frozen in time by the king. They are from Bambouche, a coastal city hundreds of kilometres from Dormont. Bonnie doesn’t really care much for religion or beliefs, but still respects it enough to not be disrespectful. Siffrin actually lost his left eye because he took a hit for Bonnie once, and now they have an uneasy relationship. Bonnie is upset with themself for being so reckless, but also with Siffrin for putting himself in danger for their sake.

NOW, THE LOOPS:

After a long journey, the group finds themself at the town of Dormont. Siffrin, waking up from a nap in a meadow, goes to explore the town when Mirabelle offers a sleepover before they go to fight the King. Siffrin goes about town, tells the group, and finally has a big celebratory night before waking up the next day. The party enters the house that the King resides in, and comes across a supposedly trapped room. Siffrin, being the resident trap-checker, looks about and finds nothing. Mira is skeptical, and when Siffrin stands in the middle of the room to prove the room is safe, a rock crushes him instantly. Where afterwards, he feels "a tug on his chest" before looping back. He feels this same exact kind of tug whenever he loops. Every single time. Usually right before he loops, including if he hasn’t died yet.

He wakes up the day before, meadow around him, entirely unharmed and alive. Mirabelle wakes and greets him as per usual and he finds out he’s in a time loop, and hears a voice beckoning him to the Favour Tree. He finds a being with a head like a star, who calls themself "Loop". They explain that they knew Siffrin incredibly well, to the point they are capable of guessing exactly what he’s thinking at any given point.

Loop acts as Siffrin's guide through the loops, though they initially don't have a great relationship. Further on, they start to talk more and Siffrin begins to get to know Loop a little better. He's still very cautious of them regardless, however.

Siffrin goes through the house, looping now and then to slowly piece together the correct path. After getting to the king after many attempts, they fail a couple of times, finding new abilities and finally managing to beat him. But even after that, they’re forcibly looped back to the meadow of Dormont. Whenever Siffrin reaches the King, the first attack the King uses creates a resounding flash that fills the party's heads with a vision of a future so disastrously bleak that it brings the entire party to their knees. Loop sees this flash every time Siffrin gets to the King, and fail to defeat him.

"This isn’t… REAL. It can’t be, not when- But… STARS, COME ON!!!"

"Speak. Just- Say something. Anything."

"N-No, they wouldn’t say that- They… I…"

"Don’t- STOP LYING, FOR STARS SAKE. IT’S… IT CAN’T BE TRUE."

"Just… Just shut up… Stop. Just… Stop."