In the grand halls of St. Amaranthine University for Mystical Arts, where ancient spells are etched into the stone walls and the air hums faintly with ambient magic, few students draw as much attention as Shaman Gaspard of the Hall. Hailing from the vibrant swamps and bayous of the Crescent Dominion, where his family—a storied lineage of voodoo practitioners—has long been revered as spiritual guides, Gaspard presents himself as the image of refinement. Clad in a perfectly tailored aristocratic blue suit with gold embroidery and wielding a striking red staff tipped with a polished obsidian orb, he cuts an imposing figure of magical brilliance. Yet beneath the surface of his poised demeanor lies a closely guarded secret: Gaspard has no magic of his own and has been cheating his way through the university, terrified that his illustrious lineage may end with him.
From a young age, Gaspard was groomed to carry on his family’s legacy. His parents spoke often of his "destiny," and his Grandmother Seline—the family’s revered matriarch and spiritual anchor—placed great expectations on him. Yet, unlike the others in his bloodline who could summon ancestral spirits and weave intricate spells with ease, Gaspard’s every attempt at magic fizzled into failure. While his siblings conjured fire and communed with the spirits of the swamp, Gaspard could summon only disappointment.
When the opportunity to attend St. Amaranthine arose, Gaspard accepted with a mix of desperation and determination. He hoped that the structured teachings of the university might unlock the dormant magic within him, but when his efforts yielded nothing, fear took hold. He couldn’t bear the thought of being sent home in shame, and so he crafted an elaborate ruse to maintain his reputation.
Gaspard’s aristocratic blue suit, with its golden accents and perfectly pressed lapels, became part of the illusion. His commanding red staff, an heirloom from his family, exuded an air of power, though it held no magic. The staff’s obsidian orb seemed to glow faintly in the light, an effect he achieved through a clever combination of enchanted powders and alchemical tricks. When paired with his innate charisma, the façade was enough to fool even the sharpest professors and peers.
His true means of success, however, lay in his cunning use of voodoo rituals. Though he lacked the ability to cast spells himself, he had learned to summon minor spirits to assist him in secret. These spectral allies whispered answers during exams, enhanced the appearance of his potion-making, and even created the illusion of magical auras during demonstrations. Gaspard paid these spirits with offerings of incense, herbs, and small shards of his own soul—a price he dismissed as trivial but that gnawed at him late at night.
Now, as final exams approach, the weight of Gaspard’s deception grows heavier. His once-confident posture falters, and he avoids the mirrors in the university halls, fearing he might catch a glimpse of the hollow man he feels himself becoming. The red staff, once a symbol of his family’s legacy, now feels like a reminder of the lie he lives every day. And in his dreams, the spectral visage of Grandmother Seline appears more frequently, her gaze piercing and full of unspoken judgment.
Gaspard's greatest fear is not failure but exposure. What will his family say if they learn their heir is a fraud? What will his peers think when they realize his spells are smoke and mirrors? And yet, he cannot stop. He tells himself that perhaps the magic will awaken before the lies collapse, that the power within him is merely delayed. Until that moment, Gaspard plays the role of Shaman Gaspard of the Hall, an aristocratic prodigy with a striking red staff and a secret as heavy as the expectations he cannot meet.
Entered by: 0x5798…0ebe
