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Bisanzio, Sphinx of the Neo-Masons
by Auran
Italian noodly Ouroboros
2 years ago
Your initiation had been set for midnight on the belfry of Saint Mark’s Campanile in Venice. It was Carnival time, so even in those last hours of the day there was still a cheerful crowd in St. Mark’s Square, their colourful costumes and masks hiding plenty of mythical creatures acting as humans… or vice versa.
A most convenient event as you adjust the ceremonial mask for initiates on your face before mixing with the crowd; a custom for such official meetings, since the true identities of members of the Order is a secret that remains within the Order’s affiliates anyway.
You’re now at the base of the famous belltower, where you notice the entryway is locked: you’re well past the opening hours after all!
“This must be a test” you tell yourself.
With your back to the door, you scan your surroundings for a moment before beginning to perform a magic spell. Your mask and flowy costume should cover your words and movements just enough to avoid any suspicion from afar. Besides, the crowd is too busy enjoying itself... so no one notices you suddenly slipping inside, the door closing and locking itself again just as quickly, leaving no trace of your manipulation.
Once on the belfry, you’re left to admire the view over Venice while waiting for your Master to also show up. Getting there was easy… perhaps TOO easy… you start feeling nervous as midnight draws close. Then it hits you: the meeting was set ON the belfry… but you realize there’s no obvious way to go any higher inside the belltower! Maybe this is the real test…
You need to improvise, and quickly since you didn’t prepare a spell of flight. You know how to summon a defensive force barrier though; if you brake up the barrier into smaller, horizontal ‘steps’… then make them shift upwards as you climb them, you’ll end up with some floating, improvised stairs!
Carefully, you begin ascending… hopefully no one will look up to notice you, and your concentration will endure long enough to avoid breaking the spell too early. Except your concentration wasn’t ready for the bells of St. Mark to suddenly give you a jumpscare as they strike midnight! Only your quick reflexes save you from certain death, grabbing the marble cornice of the Campanile before falling.
“I see you technically made it in time…” says a deep but soothing voice.
It takes all the built-up adrenaline to pull yourself up and stand against the Campanile’s attic, next to the marble figure representing the lion of St. Mark, one of Venice’s iconic symbols. Which then begins to warp and move before your very eyes, the winged lion of marble a mere illusion covering a leonine creature of actual flesh and bone instead! A sphinx to be more precise, and a peculiar one too as it stretches its insectile wings and scorpion tail, decorated with a silky foulard and silvery pendants. An equally ornate scarf hangs from its neck and voluminous mane while the Neo-Masonry symbol on its tricorn hat tells you this will be the Master overseeing your initiation.
“…and already made the first step towards becoming an Initiate: letting your old self die…” it continues, a flick of its ear swinging an earring-monocle up to its eye, where it remained to better inspect you, coming closer with a slow but elegant pace. It had never occurred to you how such a big mythical beast could also be this aristocratic…
“Metaphorically speaking, of course” it concludes as you both turn towards the gap separating you from the ground.
“The belfry offered an equally killer view, you know?” you remark, feeling the lack of wings and the increasing vertigo; the sphinx will surely offer a ride down, won’t it? Because you’re no longer sure you can safely descend with your magic…
“Manners, young one!” scolds the sphinx, its white, unnaturally smooth face towering over you. You can’t help but notice how it resembles a ‘bauta’, a traditional Venetian mask. Though you’re not quite sure if it’s just a mask for the sphinx, given how it sticks seamlessly to its fur and skin…
“No answering back to your superiors! I am Bisanzio, Grandmaster of the Neo-Masonry Order. And you’ll have to master your tongue before mastering any powerful magic…”Art by the friendly Crym, aka
Crym_94, who helped me in the process of making this custom OC <3
And I hope you're finding these little stories a cool way to introduce my new OCs, I'm still experimenting with them!
Posted using PostyBirb
A most convenient event as you adjust the ceremonial mask for initiates on your face before mixing with the crowd; a custom for such official meetings, since the true identities of members of the Order is a secret that remains within the Order’s affiliates anyway.
You’re now at the base of the famous belltower, where you notice the entryway is locked: you’re well past the opening hours after all!
“This must be a test” you tell yourself.
With your back to the door, you scan your surroundings for a moment before beginning to perform a magic spell. Your mask and flowy costume should cover your words and movements just enough to avoid any suspicion from afar. Besides, the crowd is too busy enjoying itself... so no one notices you suddenly slipping inside, the door closing and locking itself again just as quickly, leaving no trace of your manipulation.
Once on the belfry, you’re left to admire the view over Venice while waiting for your Master to also show up. Getting there was easy… perhaps TOO easy… you start feeling nervous as midnight draws close. Then it hits you: the meeting was set ON the belfry… but you realize there’s no obvious way to go any higher inside the belltower! Maybe this is the real test…
You need to improvise, and quickly since you didn’t prepare a spell of flight. You know how to summon a defensive force barrier though; if you brake up the barrier into smaller, horizontal ‘steps’… then make them shift upwards as you climb them, you’ll end up with some floating, improvised stairs!
Carefully, you begin ascending… hopefully no one will look up to notice you, and your concentration will endure long enough to avoid breaking the spell too early. Except your concentration wasn’t ready for the bells of St. Mark to suddenly give you a jumpscare as they strike midnight! Only your quick reflexes save you from certain death, grabbing the marble cornice of the Campanile before falling.
“I see you technically made it in time…” says a deep but soothing voice.
It takes all the built-up adrenaline to pull yourself up and stand against the Campanile’s attic, next to the marble figure representing the lion of St. Mark, one of Venice’s iconic symbols. Which then begins to warp and move before your very eyes, the winged lion of marble a mere illusion covering a leonine creature of actual flesh and bone instead! A sphinx to be more precise, and a peculiar one too as it stretches its insectile wings and scorpion tail, decorated with a silky foulard and silvery pendants. An equally ornate scarf hangs from its neck and voluminous mane while the Neo-Masonry symbol on its tricorn hat tells you this will be the Master overseeing your initiation.
“…and already made the first step towards becoming an Initiate: letting your old self die…” it continues, a flick of its ear swinging an earring-monocle up to its eye, where it remained to better inspect you, coming closer with a slow but elegant pace. It had never occurred to you how such a big mythical beast could also be this aristocratic…
“Metaphorically speaking, of course” it concludes as you both turn towards the gap separating you from the ground.
“The belfry offered an equally killer view, you know?” you remark, feeling the lack of wings and the increasing vertigo; the sphinx will surely offer a ride down, won’t it? Because you’re no longer sure you can safely descend with your magic…
“Manners, young one!” scolds the sphinx, its white, unnaturally smooth face towering over you. You can’t help but notice how it resembles a ‘bauta’, a traditional Venetian mask. Though you’re not quite sure if it’s just a mask for the sphinx, given how it sticks seamlessly to its fur and skin…
“No answering back to your superiors! I am Bisanzio, Grandmaster of the Neo-Masonry Order. And you’ll have to master your tongue before mastering any powerful magic…”Art by the friendly Crym, aka
Crym_94, who helped me in the process of making this custom OC <3And I hope you're finding these little stories a cool way to introduce my new OCs, I'm still experimenting with them!
Posted using PostyBirb
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General
Rating
Category
Sub-Category
Species
Resolution
File Size
Artwork (Digital)
Fantasy
Sphinx
2759 x 1335
3.3 MB
The mini-story is a very nice mood-setter. In that context, this beast makes a certain amount of sense. :}
I have been pondering this design for quite some time, and always wanted to incorporate Venetian masks into one of my OCs. Perhaps the lion of St. Mark guided me towards a sphinx/manticore type of creature ;)
In fact, in an earlier draft of this mini-story I had the Sphinx present themselves, and the protagonist would have quipped "I thought you called yourself Saint Mark"... but it seemed forced so I was happier with this one.
I am quite fond of Venice after all, having been there multiple times. And I also joined the Carnival on one such occasion, donning the bauta and tricorn hat myself~
I forgot there was a lion sculpture so prominent up there. O: