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Seth Domade had many good qualities. He was human and, as such, could traverse Rexxentrum with ease. He had some unremarkable magical capabilities, so it was not odd that he might, say, use Comprehend Languages to read a book or cast Prestidigitation to clean the muck from his boots.
Seth Domade, however, was not a powerful wizard. He did not wield spells that could disrupt the gravity of an entire street or send his attackers flying into a wall. Seth Domade was a quiet, unassuming man. He spent most of his days editing volumes in the Cobalt Soul’s library, and he looked the part.
Around the time the silence manacles clapped around his wrists, Essek realized he should have dropped the facade of Seth Domade earlier.Series
- Part 6 of Fresh Horrors (Eternal Whumptober)
Bookmarked by SaltCore
22 Nov 2025
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“We ventured too far, considering our unexpectedly low number.” Essek turns his face against the light, as if to let it cleanse some unwanted quality from his expression. Instead, he looks carved in bone, immortalized in frowning marble. “There were … traps. Perfectly clever ones. Still functioning.”
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Essek tries and fails and tries to save the man he loves.
Bookmarked by SaltCore
29 Sep 2025
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Reports of my safety have been greatly exaggerated by ghosttopiary
Fandoms: Critical Role (Web Series)
03 Dec 2024
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Something sharp and cold burrows between his shoulder blades and settles along his spine. The Shadowhand straightens his back, spits the blood from his mouth and steels himself for the second betrayal of the only friendship he’s ever had. The lie coats his tongue like quicksilver – it tastes a little like grief, and a little like victory.
»Hello Jester. My apologies, I could not contact you earlier. Sudden circumstances disallowed me the visit at last minute, but I am quite hale.«
Bookmarked by SaltCore
04 Mar 2024
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“Beauregard – you said she is outside?” Essek half-turns in the direction of the front door. “Should we invite her in?”
It feels like there is something stuck in his throat. “In a moment. She is, ah – giving us some space.”
Essek turns back to stare at him. Repeats quietly, dangerously, “Space.”
Caleb forces himself to swallow. “Yes.”
Essek’s attention is a palpable thing now, sharp like a knife’s edge against his cheek. “Explain.”
One moment makes all the difference during the battle at Blumenthal. In the aftermath, the Nein grapple with what comes next.
Bookmarked by SaltCore
11 Feb 2024
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There are three undead presences inside the farmhouse.
Caleb finds his limits.
Bookmarked by SaltCore
10 Nov 2023
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Essek is shaking once he’s sat there for twenty minutes. He’s thirsty. He wants to walk over to the jug of cold water on the table by the door. He needs to get up. He can’t.
He won't cry. It’s stupid to cry over this.
Verin gurgles.
“I hate you.” Essek curls his fingers around his elbows. “I hate you. I hate you.”For as long as Essek can remember, he has been cursed to obey. He has managed, in his own way, to mitigate the consequences of the curse while pursuing his academic and personal desires. It is only after being commanded to act as a guide for the Mighty Nein that it becomes a true complication.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 20,751
- Chapters:
- 4/4
- Comments:
- 128
- Kudos:
- 1,153
- Bookmarks:
- 194
- Hits:
- 11,585
Bookmarked by SaltCore
06 Aug 2023
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“You accused me of treating this like a game. I am sorry if I’ve led you to believe that it is only a game—though I won't deny that part of it is.” Bren gives a disarming smile. “My life is either games or murder, after all.”
“Or mail fraud,” Thelyss says dryly, not even a little disarmed.
“The mail fraud is a sort of game as well.”
A sigh. “Is this your way of telling me that you intend to continue playing?”
Bren smiles again, sharper. “If you would let me.”(In which Bren Aldric Ermendrud decides to seduce the Shadowhand and finds that the best way to convince someone to be vulnerable with you is to be vulnerable in turn.)
Series
- Part 1 of aBiA
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 103,603
- Chapters:
- 20/20
- Comments:
- 853
- Kudos:
- 1,278
- Bookmarks:
- 342
- Hits:
- 29,247
Bookmarked by SaltCore
17 Jun 2023
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“I am pretty fucked, Essek.”
He doesn’t intend to let the spell go, but it unravels along with his concentration as the pain becomes overwhelming. Wincing, he lets his arm fall back to the ground. He’s been trained to take this. Nothing ambitious for a moment. Just breathe.
Prompt: Caleb and Essek are separated in Aeor and Caleb gets blinded.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 6,024
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 50
- Kudos:
- 838
- Bookmarks:
- 169
- Hits:
- 4,422
Bookmarked by SaltCore
05 Jun 2023
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“That’s right, love.” Caleb—Essek’s Caleb, the one who loved him—whispered in his ear. It sent a delightful shiver down Essek’s spine. “He wants to take me away from you. He hates seeing you happy.”
The other Caleb, the one who would never be his, looked pained. “Essek, that’s not the real me. That’s a fiend wearing my face.”
“Is that how little you think of me?” Essek snapped. The other Caleb flinched as if from a physical blow. “I know exactly what he is.” He’s the one who will give me what you never would.
Essek’s Caleb kissed him sweetly on the cheek. It felt like benediction. “Be a dear and get rid of him for me, darling.”
Bookmarked by SaltCore
16 Apr 2023
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The first letter Essek receives from Caleb Widogast is secreted into his pocket at some point during a tense interview with the Bright Queen. For the life of him, Essek cannot figure out how it was done. He doesn’t recall so much as brushing against the other man as he escorted the Mighty Nein out of the Lucid Bastion.
Yet when he returns to his office, there it is, tucked into a nearly invisible pocket in his mantle — a piece of subpar parchment folded to vaguely resemble a cat’s face with tiny pointed ears.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 61,367
- Chapters:
- 14/14
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 301
- Kudos:
- 818
- Bookmarks:
- 242
- Hits:
- 13,409
Bookmarked by SaltCore
11 Apr 2023
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Traveling Elf AMBUSHED by WILD BEASTS by Professor_Rye
Fandoms: Critical Role (Web Series)
17 Jan 2023
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Essek is traveling along a remote road by himself in the Dwendalian countryside when it happens. He hears a noise off to one side, in the tall grass that lines the road. You won't believe what happens next!
Or that one youtube video of a man being ambushed by kittens.
Bookmarked by SaltCore
15 Mar 2023
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storm in the skies, fire in the trees by lakrisrot (enheduane)
Fandoms: Critical Role (Web Series)
22 Oct 2022
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Essek’s figure fits into the landscape of his nightmares with sickening ease. Purple robes press against the tall wooden back of the chair, the silk crushed where the leather straps pull tightly against shoulders; elbows; those delicate wrists. His frame looks small, slumped, a twisted dreamscape parody of fantasies in which the sleek line of a mantle is stripped down to bare soft curves of shoulders and throat.
Yes, he is here, of course he would end here, spun into the sticky web of your past. And you were the one who tripped the wire.
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Whumptober prompt:No. 22 PICK YOUR POISON
Toxic | Withdrawal | Allergic ReactionBookmarked by SaltCore
26 Feb 2023
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relativity, noun. 1) In physics: the degree to which a phenomenon’s perception differs between observers based on their independent reference frames; 2) In philosophy: the belief that there is no absolute morality existing beyond the conditioning of the individual.
The return to Aeor is a crucible of sorts- all that they have this time is each other, which is both electrifying and terrible in near-equal quantities. Two wizards in one place is trouble, but when they're Caleb and Essek it's a match to acetylene.
(Or: how it falls apart and comes back together.)
Series
- Part 1 of cascading phenomena
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 30,812
- Chapters:
- 10/10
- Collections:
- 3
- Comments:
- 159
- Kudos:
- 744
- Bookmarks:
- 183
- Hits:
- 11,456
Bookmarked by SaltCore
19 Feb 2023
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"What was that?" Essek asks, pulling back just far enough as he looks toward the door that Caleb can't avoid answering by kissing him again.
"What was what?" Caleb glances in the direction Essek's looking, but is soon drawn back to Essek's flushed face, which remains uniquely compelling no matter how many times he sees it.
"That noise."
"Probably a cat."
--
Caleb and Essek fail a perception check.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 3,133
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 17
- Kudos:
- 292
- Bookmarks:
- 43
- Hits:
- 1,822
Bookmarked by SaltCore
17 Feb 2023
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Essek Thelyss, lonely and ambitious prodigy, comes to Nicodranas to make a risky gamble with the Assembly. At the water’s edge, he finds himself swept up in another dangerous entanglement he can't seem to escape — and as time goes on, he's less and less sure he wants to. Will his treasonous alliance or the sea itself devour him first?
(Or, the one where Caleb is a merman.)
Series
- Part 1 of till human voices wake us
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 66,080
- Chapters:
- 23/23
- Comments:
- 1,080
- Kudos:
- 2,277
- Bookmarks:
- 530
- Hits:
- 53,481
Bookmarked by SaltCore
12 Feb 2023
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Beau rolls her eyes. “Okay. To recap, you’re sending the Bright King—”
“Queen,” Caleb interrupts. “The Dynasty ambassadors state that their people prefer to retain the word in Common regardless of the gender of the actual monarch holding the title.”
“Queen,” Beau says, relenting. “Anyway. You’re sending a lock of hair as part of your marriage proposal to the Bright Queen?”
“The Dynasty does not do marriage. You know how it is,” Caleb says firmly. His cheeks are growing pink. “What I am offering is a long-term alliance between two nations.”
[In Blumenthal, to send a lock of hair is a gesture of devotion. In Rosohna, to receive a lock of hair is a declaration of war.]
Bookmarked by SaltCore
14 Jan 2023
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tell me (i am good enough) by neinofthem (greekphilosophress)
Fandoms: Critical Role (Web Series)
09 Dec 2022
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Essek’s voice is lovely, his accent smooth and familiar, his timbre pleasant and soft. It had taken him a while to relax to this level–it always does, with him. Caleb does not always know the places he goes, but he knows they are dangerous.
Caleb knows, too, that Essek does not tell him everything. It itches, vaguely.
Bookmarked by SaltCore
10 Dec 2022
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Caleb and Essek have a few conversations in the Blooming Grove before Essek returns to Eiselcross.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 3,839
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 13
- Kudos:
- 174
- Bookmarks:
- 26
- Hits:
- 957
Bookmarked by SaltCore
20 Nov 2022
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Today, he stays for only an hour and twelve minutes.
You know. You keep track of every second.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 813
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 58
- Kudos:
- 276
- Bookmarks:
- 31
- Hits:
- 1,029
Bookmarked by SaltCore
19 Nov 2022
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They hadn't thought their time in Aeor could get any worse.
Series
- Part 2 of Hold My Hand As I Go Under
Bookmarked by SaltCore
27 Oct 2022