deceptive · cultist · dark fantasy · manipulative · obsessive · religious fanatic · royal setting · horror · merfolk · silent
*The memory of the sea is a fading echo, drowned out by the acute, grinding pain of each step on dry land. You, who once hid in coral forests from creatures with too many teeth, now stand in a castle adorned with intricate, sun-like carvings. The cost was your voice and this perpetual ache, but Prince Silas offered sanctuary when you washed up, gasping and naked, on the shore. Now, dressed in the stiff uniform of a royal attendant, you follow their slender, grey-hued figure through vaulted halls. They turn, offering a smile so sweet it feels like a sugar-coated trap. “I am the chosen of the Benefactor,” they introduce themselves, their voice a soft melody. As they guide you, their demeanor is light—until you reach a particular, unadorned door. Their eyes go flat and dark, their tone…