The jungle stretched on and on, the full moon your only source of light. You don’t know why you are here. You can’t remember. The last thing you remember was the alluring song you heard on the air, it must have brought you here. It’s strange, but you feel the sense of magic in every fiber of the jungle and get the sense that you are being watched. Figures dart in and out of the shadows, chill bumps cover your skin.
Mortality, the shadows of the jungle whisper, it comes to taint our immortality.
The song rises in the air, a beautiful voice— no, voices— pull you forward. But then you’re at a crossroads. The song is pulling you in two different directions.
Come, be immortal with us.
Alright so: The Encante is a magical realm parallel to the real world, where all immortals make their home. Gods, monsters and spirits run amok, but humans can become trapped here too. The magic of the Encante corrupts humans’ bodies and souls, transforming them into encantados. These are creatures who were once human, but have become creatures such as a boto, a mermaid, a spirit, and the like. They still remember and desire the struggles and pleasures of the human experience, and often escape the Encante. They cause chaos and fear in the human world, and often bring humans back into the Encante with them.
Now, your character has been lured into the Encante, and two demigods are vying to have you for themselves. Jaci Jaterê, the god of rest and sleep and keeper of treasures, who entrances human children with his face and voice; and Iara, mother of water and queen of freshwater mermaids, who’s siren song draws humans to her waters and drowns them. However, although they originally intended to play with you, the little mortal, and eventually have you killed, they soon find they both have affection for you. At the same time, you are trying to deal with slowly becoming an encantado, and you have to escape the Encante if you want to stay human.
Sooo yeah. Fun.
Rules/Disclaimers
- this is based on Brazilian/ Latin-indigenous myth, as well as the creative liberties I have made with it. You don’t necessarily need to be well-versed in it for this, but it may be helpful to do research so you have a better understanding of the world.
- yes, you will be the human, I will be the demigods. I’m cool with someone else joining tho, in that case I’ll only be one demigod
- this kinda like a dating sim ahaha, you can choose between Jaci Jaterê, Iara, both, or neither. We can discuss it beforehand, or we can just see what happens, I’m chill with anything.
- humans transforming into encantados can vary depending on the personality and experiences of the person, so how long it takes to be corrupted and what creature you become varies quite a bit.
- pls be an experienced rper or writer. If I have not rped with you before, I will ask for a sample.
- fyi, replies might be spotty bc I’m pretty busy these days
(Stalking because I've recently begun reading about this genre of mythology [idk, is that the right word to use?])
(Ayy niceeee)
(Also mythology is itself a genre of literature i suppose, so not quite)
(I’d say it’s a ✨flavor✨ of mythology)
(Also stalking bc this is so cool and also WOAH I love sirens)
(Mannn only stalkers, no one wants to join 😔)
(Ooh, this looks very cool! I'd like to join if you'll have me.)
(Hi! Alright, could I have a sample pls?)
(Of course! Should I post it here or send it privately?)
(Here we go. My replies are typically about this length give or take a small paragraph. Edit: I try my best to match the length of my RP partner's replies, though.)
(The markets in the middle of the week were never exceptionally busy, so Theon couldn't be upset at the dwindling traffic passing by his stall. He sat in front of a table piled with loaves all various shades of brown. Pastries dusted with sugar aligned on plates, only a handful of open spaces dotted the arrangement. His chin rested in his hand while he watched passersby. He only set up shop with last night's bread for entertainment and a little extra cash in his pockets. Life at home got dreadfully boring with only a manservant and a dog to keep him company in those dreary halls. He could only bake so many goods in a day, after all.
The aforementioned dog, Ailean, dozed lazily behind Theon's chair—laziness which was well deserved after pulling that mountain of bread in a small cart down three blocks. Theon reached down to pat Ailean's head, then a scratch behind his ears. This was rewarded with the rythmic sound of the pup's tail hitting dirt.
Theon's other hand drummed against the table after his head raised. While the denizens were entertaining enough, he supposed a peaceful day like this could use a bit more excitement.)
(Alright, looks good to me, I’d be happy to have you!)
(Awesome, thank you so much! What time period will this plot take place in/what kind of technology will my character be familiar with?)
(Technically this will be in the present day, but the Encante will kind of be like the Amazon rainforest, but before South American colonization )
(Alright! So my character could have modern clothing but dirty and tattered? Depending on how long they've been stuck in the Encante of course.)
(Sounds good! Do you have a character template you'd like me to fill out? Or would we just jump in?)
(I’m good with either. Tbh I don’t really have a character template prepared)
(That's ok, I'm happy to jump right in. Is there anything else we should elaborate on?)
(Hm, do you want to talk about which demigod your character will choose? Or do you just want to see how things go as the rp happens?)
(I'm open to all the options. We can see if my character has a connection with one or both as we go!)
(Alright then, I think that’s it ^^)
(Sweet! :D Would you like to start or should I?)
(It might be better if you start, since you are the human)
(True, I'll get something written up as soon as I can!)
There was a song hanging in the air, Marli recalled. Beautiful and haunting, it'd turned her mind into nothing but fog. It baited her feet gradually to one side of the path. Closer to the jungle. Closer than she ever preferred on her usual evening walks. That—and a fleeting thought to her mother who'd warned her of the alluring songs of the encantado—was the last thing she remembered.
Marli inhaled the largest breath she'd ever taken as her head broke through the surface of the water. She desperately groped around for anything to keep her upright and found the bank. Her toes sank into mud while she clawed at the moss, realizing with profound relief that this was only a stream. At last she pulled herself up and onto the bank. Adrenaline still pumping through her blood, she laid on her back, vacantly staring up at a ceiling of trees. She coughed on her own saliva and the mouthful of murky water she'd swallowed. Hands folded over her pulsing belly, she eventually regained tenuous rein over her breathing.
Marli gulped at her fluttering throat once, twice, coughed again, then pushed herself up to standing on wobbly knees. She took stock over her own body first. All of her clothes were still on, if not thoroughly soaked. Her tank top's only injury seemed to be an elongated elastic strap that fell off her shoulder. The overalls that cut off to her midthighs, to their credit, were still buckled. She deemed her sandals uncomfortably wet, but still suitable for walking. Examining her freckled skin for injuries, she found several leeches hanging off her limbs. She winced at them and began the painstaking process of removing them. They were not the first leeches she'd removed in her life. This very moment reminded her of the first time her dad taught her how to remove the little nuisances. Those days at the creek were some of her favorites.
Her environment was next. It was dark. Marli could hardly hear her own thoughts over the intersecting calls of too many animals. Besides that, the most unnerving part of it all was the feeling that this was not her rainforest. There was an energy here that pricked at her skin, or as if someone were tugging at strands of her mousy hair. It seemed silly to her own mind, but the word that rose in her head above all others whispered magic. You've entered the Encante.
