Please Read Or Skim The Descriptions Below The Poll And Approximate As Best As You Can Before Voting.

Please read or skim the descriptions below the poll and approximate as best as you can before voting. (If you disagree with any of my character interpretations, feel free to comment.)

Hephaestus (or Kyma) - Can and will set their pride aside to help others. E.g., Hephaestus held back and did not stand up to Vulcan in order to save his fellow Evers and spare them from further punishment. He took the selfless way out, instead of going after personal satisfaction. Both he and Kyma care for others, and in doing so, save themselves, too. Yet, they also seem willing to sacrifice themselves. "All against Evil" mentality.

Hook (or Midas) - The "neutrals." These two get their own category, slightly outside of the Kyma to Rhian spectrum. Will save himself first if he has good reason to neglect others. Is willing to betray, lie, and cheat, yet cares for those specifically aligned with him. He cares for those on his side (sometimes, meaning only himself) and that excludes everyone else, the masses. Has an "us vs. them" or "us against the world" mentality.

Rise Rafal - Mostly "Good," or if not Good, honorable on some level, but cannot set his pride aside. Slightly narrower than the Hook category. Deserts and tortures everyone with almost no qualms. Yet does possess a conscience. Has a cynical mentality of: "I will save myself and hang everyone out to dry, to fend for themselves" or essentially, the classic: "Every man for himself." Assumes the worst of human nature, under normal circumstances—unless someone gives him reason to believe they will do Good. Also: "So long everyone. I only care about myself, and will do nothing for you." Plays defensive sometimes, but only for himself with few exceptions (like protecting Rhian). Overall: "Me and my personal gain against the world" mentality.

Fall Rafal - Inclusive of the above description. Plus: Will actively, preemptively hurt (or endanger) others, when necessary (could be "necessary" in his mind). Uses people, and sometimes, treats them as disposable. Escape Clause: If he's feeling particularly vindictive or sadistic, as events take a turn for the worst, the definition of "necessary" will widen to accommodate him. Salient addition of the: "I'm always right" mentality.

Fall Rhian (or Marialena) - Self-serving to a greater degree than Rafal is. Believes other people are Good, that humanity is fundamentally Good (or that it can further his cause), and leaves himself vulnerable... He will lie, cheat, and deceive to save his own skin. Plays dirty. Will actively, preemptively hurt. He cares for himself, and will harm and tear down others if it will benefit him. "Me with the world until the world hurts me" mentality.

Also, might I recommend this song playing in the background of the prequels, starting the moment Vulcan arrives on scene, acting like a real sleaze, with a musical motif of his own conveying here comes trouble:

I could imagine Rhian opening a slick, black, cab door and ushering Vulcan in with an effusive, showbiz persona, and with the build-up, the climb in the music, all of the changes he makes while Rafal is gone would occur in sequence, like in a montage.

At around [1:02], Vulcan would start challenging Rhian, the host, and things would go swiftly downhill, becoming rotten. Ball guests would riot. The so-called "party" reaches new heights and a chandelier falls, creating a crater in the middle of the dance floor.

At [2:12] Rafal reappears with a shotgun (apparently he strayed from home, having gone MIA after WWI), chases everyone out, and starts to clean up the party. If he gets a broom, he twirls it in the end like a baton before making an exit.

hear me out for a sec guys

"rafal" as gatsby

sophie as daisy

agatha as nick

tedros(?) as tom (he doesn't really fit the role so i guess he's kind of a placeholder??)

i am in NO WAY a literature nerd so humble me about these takes if need be lol

Idea: Every year, Rafal hosts a Q&A for his students that routinely turns rather bleak, and every year, he gets the pleasure of answering one of the FAQs his students always seem to ask in some capacity.

The reason why the little schemers always ask this all-important question all boils down to them wondering: how bad could their School Master be? It's their way of testing the boundaries and the School's disciplinary measures, covertly, but Rafal knows why they ask and he delivers wonderfully every time. It's his way of identifying the potential rule breakers of that year.

To elaborate, the Never students want to test just how far he'd go in punishing them, but they do not want to incriminate themselves or draw unnecessary attention. They want to know exactly how much trouble they would be in in their positions, so they present their question as a hypothetical about Rhian and approximate Rafal's answer to be worse as it could potentially apply to them.

Thus, the question one brave soul asks, after much communal stress over its wording, is this:

"School Master, what would you do if the Good School Master did something unforgivable?"

Rafal: [thinks for a moment.]

[The students are rapt and lean in to listen. Even Humburg is curious as to what the response could be.]

Rafal: [Not one of his facial muscles twitches.] Sell him to Bluebeard. Next question.

[Without fail, his answer always shocks the Nevers. His own brother! That's "how bad," and they definitely have their answer now.]

And, as per their annual tradition, Rafal tells Rhian about The Question and laughs while Rhian does not.

When the boys disagree with your argument:

Rhian: Sorry, but I must say that I disagree on principle. [follows up by explaining how he and only he has the moral high ground]

Rafal: You're wrong, and I can prove it. [takes a deep breath before starting to dismantle everything you've just said, systematically. Either that, or he's unresponsive, and doesn't invest the effort because you're already too far beneath him and a lost cause]

Hook: Blimey. Color me impressed. That has to be the worst take I've ever heard.

Midas: I don't care. I'm right. [leaves before you can argue back or even try to reel him in]

Pan: YOU CAN'T STOP ME—I CAN'T READ!

the wrong stars are out tonight

coffee or tea (neither) | early bird or night owl | chocolate or vanilla (both) | spring or fall | silver or gold | pop or alternative (both) | freckles or dimples | snakes or sharks | mountains or fields | thunder or lightning | egyptian mythology or greek mythology | ivory or scarlet (both. The pair of them would make a nice, high-contrast color scheme.) | flute or lyre | opal or diamond | butterflies or honeybees | macarons or eclairs | typewritten or handwritten | secret garden or secret library | rooftop or balcony | spicy or mild (I'm also assuming this refers to food. Depends.) | opera or ballet | london or paris | vincent van gogh or claude monet | denim or leather | potions or spells | ocean or desert | mermaids or sirens | masquerade ball or cocktail party

Thank you for the tag!

I'll tag anyone who sees this, who hasn't already been tagged, if they want to do it.

This or That

I was tagged by: @steamcaptain

Tagging: @writing-biting @eggymcdegy @perphella @fire-rose @portalcartoon

coffee or tea | early bird or night owl | chocolate or vanilla | spring or fall | silver or gold | pop or alternative (either) | freckles or dimples (both) | snakes or sharks | mountains or fields (both) | thunder or lightning | egyptian mythology or greek mythology | ivory or scarlet | flute or lyre | opal or diamond | butterflies or honeybees (both) | macarons or eclairs | typewritten or handwritten (either) | secret garden or secret library | rooftop or balcony | spicy or mild | opera or ballet (neither)| london or paris | vincent van gogh or claude monet | denim or leather | potions or spells | ocean or desert | mermaids or sirens | masquerade ball or cocktail party

Clean Template:

coffee or tea | early bird or night owl | chocolate or vanilla | spring or fall | silver or gold | pop or alternative | freckles or dimples | snakes or sharks | mountains or fields | thunder or lightning | egyptian mythology or greek mythology | ivory or scarlet | flute or lyre | opal or diamond | butterflies or honeybees | macarons or eclairs | typewritten or handwritten | secret garden or secret library | rooftop or balcony | spicy or mild | opera or ballet | london or paris | vincent van gogh or claude monet | denim or leather | potions or spells | ocean or desert | mermaids or sirens | masquerade ball or cocktail party