Post by SV on Dec 6, 2021 0:40:15 GMT -5
Archipelago Exodus
Year in Review 2021
12/26/2021-12/30/2021
What is a year in review without reviewing the year? Your humble judges (and any other esteemed participants) break down the highlights of the year, both on and off the page.
An aperitif of short pieces and works-in-progress, deserving of recognition but not quite ready for in-depth analysis. This is also the home for pieces with writers who were not around to opt in to having their piece critiqued.
People wrote things, and we want you to know about them. These are the finest pieces to come out of 2021—the most substantial, the most polished, the most canonically significant. Part showcase and part critique, this category will be opt-in only. Join us to see what our judges and illustrious reviewers have to say.
Wind down with some for-funsies pieces. This category includes vignettes as well as NSFW stories.
Look, we know what you really came here for: our distinguished ORP cast. And while polls may be a little generous, what you will get is a shortlist of this year's standout character appearances and our takes on why you should care about them.
Nopcsa recruits some friends and acquaintances to help him pull off a heist. This could go a couple different ways...
Feat. Terrian, Nopcsa, Rie, Telrien, Garth
Thyra, Yoshimitsu, and Hector agree to help a mysterious stranger overcome a series of trials in this throwback piece. It quickly becomes more than they expected.
Feat. Young Thyra, Young Yoshimitsu, Young Hector
Deandre meets with Terminer's guidance counselor.
Feat. Deandre, Psi
Remi's mother meets with Terminer's guidance counselor. Remi is there also.
Feat. Remi, Kotta, Psi
Kilik convinces Garth to act as Terminer's school mascot.
Feat. Garth
Hector has a lot of choices to make ahead of his daughter's first birthday party.
Feat. Young Hector, Helen
Hector and Yoshimitsu exercise their right to be rebellious teenagers by getting matching stick-and-poke dragon tattoos.
Feat. Young Hector, Young Yoshimitsu, Felix
Hector experiments with drag and has a wild night out with Yoshimitsu and Helen at the queerest, most happening spot in Monmorency.
Feat. Young Hector, Young Yoshimitsu, Helen
A page from Jesse's journal, wherein she and the other Jesses prepare for Terminer Academy's Spirit Week
Feat. Jesse
Lace and Felix meet in Paymarble. It's laundry day.
Feat. Lace, Felix
Hector's bachelor getaway does not go the way he expected after he makes a few new friends at the beach.
Feat. Hector, Jonas, Rie
Who invented Saturn returns, anyway? And while you're still here, can you tell me how to get back to planet Earth? Asking for a friend.
Feat. Hector, Helen, Reza, Cyril
Helen and Rhys's hot date gets even hotter after they return to his apartment to find the power's out.
Feat. Rhys, Helenwith special guest Cyril
Rhys finds himself with a rare free afternoon and decides to have a spot of tea.
Feat. Rhys, Cyril
Rhys hosts a Thanksgiving dinner for everyone. Don't you remember?
Feat. Rhys, Cyril, Rie...
The Terminer Academy students take a field trip to Gay Island.
Feat. Dalisay, Wally, Emily, Pleiades, Emma Ray, Remiwith special guest Mica
Darius tries to intervene in Sebastian's existential crisis.
Feat. Sebastian, Darius
Garth has a run-in with Victor.
Feat. Victor, Garth
Rhys and Huckabee meet in Monmorency. They are hunkering down because of disastrous weather.
Feat. Rhys, Huckabeewith special guest Helen
Cyril Magnussen
Rhys’s unnervingly pleasant neighbor who writes mystery and thriller novels for a living. In his spare time he can be found baking, cooking, taking care of his plants and cats, and cultivating a comfortable atmosphere for his guests.
Appears inTea Time | Sweltering Spells | The Saturn Transit Authority
Dalisay Salazar
A school-age girl forced to bottle up her negative emotions, lest her “friends” swoop in and crash the party.
Appears in(Tiger Lab)
Darius
A caring, empathetic man, whose heart is as full of love as it is devoid of life.
Appears in(Tortoise Lab)
Deandre Clarks
A high school junior documenting the events in his life on paper for his future reference.
Appears in(Dis)Appointments: Deandre
Emily Schwartzwald
The whimsical, energetic girls’ dean at Terminer Academy, Schwartzwald’s Bakery owner by day, Obsidian Hearts mercenary by night.
Appears in(Tiger Lab)
Emma Ray
A homegrown country girl with a green thumb and a larger-than-life personality.
Appears in(Tiger Lab)
Felix
A misanthropic career hacker who has never been a firm believer in being sober on the job.
Appears inPocket Check | (Dragon Lab 1)
Garth
A youth who stumbled upon the powerful Ophiuchus Amulet, he tries to do what good he can in the world, despite his powers slowly killing him.
Appears inBallots and Bullets | Garth in the mascot suit | Victor and Garth vignette
Hector Celeste-Shahrazad
A handsome sailor with a heart of gold. When he’s not spending time with his daughter and his dog traveling in a cozy sailing ship on the seven seas, he can usually be found having drinks and looking for someone to spend the night with.
Appears inRiptide Breakbeat Showdown| The Saturn Transit Authority
Helen Mercury
A magician with some very special tricks in her purple top hat, a fashionista, and a supportive friend off the stage.
Appears inSweltering Spells | Saturn Transit Authority | The Illustrious Ballad of Sailor Celeste
Daniel Huckabee
A high school English teacher leading a bloody double life, who recently relocated to Tengai for a fresh start.
Appears inThe Weather Report
Jesse Chase
A bubbly teen living in an untold number of alternate dimensions at once.
Appears inJesse’s journal entry
Jonas Caliban
A gentle giant starting over on dry land after one small bite at sea changed his life forever.
Appears inRiptide Breakbeat Showdown
Kioshi
A young, timid girl with an otherworldly charm.
Appears inThe Illustrious Ballad of Sailor Celeste
Kotta
Head of Outreach and chief negotiator of the Fascere Order. As a single mother to Remi, she has gained a reputation for working tirelessly and driving a hard bargain.
Appears in(Dis)Appointments: Remi
Lace Garrelcette
The product of an attempt to genetically engineer the perfect pilot with a playful and friendly demeanor.
Appears inPocket Check
Mihail Bibescu
A wealthy, young Lothario with a penchant for conspicuous consumption and an appetite for cheap thrills.
Appears inThe Illustrious Ballad of Sailor Celeste
Nopcsa
A smarmy mindreader from the Fascere Order, an organization that deals in mystical artifacts. He finds himself frequently at odds between the goals of his employer and the well-being of his friends.
Appears inBallots and Bullets
Pleiades
Hector's cynical 12-year old daughter, relieved to finally have a chance at taking control of her own life at Terminer.
Appears in(Tiger Lab)
Psi
Terminer’s school counselor, an easygoing man attempting to relate to the kids with his humor, and perhaps a bit too eager to please.
Appears in(Dis)Appointments: Deandre | (Dis)Appointments: Remi
Rie Nepas
A genetically-engineered shapeshifter with apathy to spare and emotional baggage to sort.
Appears inRiptide | A Thanksgiving Party
Remi Nan
A shy, outwardly easygoing boy from Montreal, in a constant struggle to stay awake and swearing in Quebecois French under his breath.
Appears in(Dis)Appointments: Remi | (Tiger Lab)
Reza
A displaced Summoner refugee in Tengaishima determined to start a new chapter in his life.
Appears inThe Saturn Transit Authority
Rhys Whitticker
A stoic, reserved British journalist who prefers to remain in the shadows as he conducts investigations of the Tengai Archipelago's Powers scene.
Appears inThe Weather Report | Sweltering Spells | A Thanksgiving Party | Tea Time
Sebastian
A soldier with a mysterious, angelic lineage who is struggling with his identity away from the battlefield.
Appears in(Tortoise Lab)
Telrien
A sticky-fingered woman, crack shot, and occasional associate of the Fascere Order.
Appears inBallots and Bullets
Terrian Brogue
The Archipelago's most neurotic so-called hero accidentally turned into its most prolific counterfeiter overnight when he discovered a lucrative exploit for his power of self-duplication.
Appears inBallots and Bullets
Victor
Already an accomplished dancer at the age of six, his success and fame have been met with rumors that he might have dabbled in devilry to achieve it. Some even claim that he can cast spells with his dance moves.
Appears inVictor and Garth vignette
Wally
A small, temperamental half-elf child obsessed with swords.
Appears in(Tiger Lab)
Young Hector
A teenage wanderer with a wild heart, a thirst for adventure, and the power of pyrokinesis at his fingertips.
Appears inThe Illustrious Ballad of Sailor Celeste | Happy Birthday, Pleiades | (Dragon Lab 1)
Young Thyra
An intelligent young lady spearheading the recovery of the city of Salcester after the Summoner attacks.
Appears inCalling an Empty Home
Young Yoshimitsu
A supersonic superhuman with a razor-sharp wit and a devil-may-care attitude. Hector’s traveling partner and best friend in the universe.
Appears inThe Illustrious Ballad of Sailor Celeste | (Dragon Lab 1)
Year in Review 2021
12/26/2021-12/30/2021
Hosted by
SV
Loogs
&
Lee
SV
Loogs
&
Lee
Itinerary
~ Day 1: Noteworthy Events ~
What is a year in review without reviewing the year? Your humble judges (and any other esteemed participants) break down the highlights of the year, both on and off the page.
~ Day 2: Lightning Round ~
An aperitif of short pieces and works-in-progress, deserving of recognition but not quite ready for in-depth analysis. This is also the home for pieces with writers who were not around to opt in to having their piece critiqued.
~ Day 3: Main Works ~
People wrote things, and we want you to know about them. These are the finest pieces to come out of 2021—the most substantial, the most polished, the most canonically significant. Part showcase and part critique, this category will be opt-in only. Join us to see what our judges and illustrious reviewers have to say.
~ Day 4: Bonus Works ~
Wind down with some for-funsies pieces. This category includes vignettes as well as NSFW stories.
~ Day 5: Character Polls ~
Look, we know what you really came here for: our distinguished ORP cast. And while polls may be a little generous, what you will get is a shortlist of this year's standout character appearances and our takes on why you should care about them.
The Pieces
Ballots and Bullets (2021?—)
By Lee
By Lee
Feat. Terrian, Nopcsa, Rie, Telrien, Garth
Calling an Empty Home (20??)
By Lee
By Lee
Thyra, Yoshimitsu, and Hector agree to help a mysterious stranger overcome a series of trials in this throwback piece. It quickly becomes more than they expected.
Feat. Young Thyra, Young Yoshimitsu, Young Hector
(Dis)Appointments: Deandre (2018)
By Pohatu
By Pohatu
Deandre meets with Terminer's guidance counselor.
Feat. Deandre, Psi
(Dis)Appointments: Remi (2021)
By Loogs
By Loogs
Remi's mother meets with Terminer's guidance counselor. Remi is there also.
Feat. Remi, Kotta, Psi
Garth in the mascot suit (2021)
By
By
Kilik convinces Garth to act as Terminer's school mascot.
Feat. Garth
Happy Birthday, Pleiades (20??)
By Loogs
By Loogs
Hector has a lot of choices to make ahead of his daughter's first birthday party.
Feat. Young Hector, Helen
(Dragon Lab 1) (2019)
By Loogs
By Loogs
Hector and Yoshimitsu exercise their right to be rebellious teenagers by getting matching stick-and-poke dragon tattoos.
Feat. Young Hector, Young Yoshimitsu, Felix
The Illustrious Ballad of Sailor Celeste; or, How Hector Got His Groove Back (2021)
By Loogs
By Loogs
Hector experiments with drag and has a wild night out with Yoshimitsu and Helen at the queerest, most happening spot in Monmorency.
Feat. Young Hector, Young Yoshimitsu, Helen
Jesse's Journal Entry (2021)
By
By
A page from Jesse's journal, wherein she and the other Jesses prepare for Terminer Academy's Spirit Week
Feat. Jesse
Pocket Check (2021—)
By Lee
By Lee
Lace and Felix meet in Paymarble. It's laundry day.
Feat. Lace, Felix
Riptide Breakbeat Showdown (2021—)
By Loogs
By Loogs
Hector's bachelor getaway does not go the way he expected after he makes a few new friends at the beach.
Feat. Hector, Jonas, Rie
The Saturn Transit Authority (2021—)
By Loogs
By Loogs
Who invented Saturn returns, anyway? And while you're still here, can you tell me how to get back to planet Earth? Asking for a friend.
Feat. Hector, Helen, Reza, Cyril
Sweltering Spells (NSFW) (2021)
By Loogs
By Loogs
Helen and Rhys's hot date gets even hotter after they return to his apartment to find the power's out.
Feat. Rhys, Helenwith special guest Cyril
Tea Time (2021—)
By SV, Loogs
By SV, Loogs
Rhys finds himself with a rare free afternoon and decides to have a spot of tea.
Feat. Rhys, Cyril
A Thanksgiving Party (2021—)
By SV
By SV
Rhys hosts a Thanksgiving dinner for everyone. Don't you remember?
Feat. Rhys, Cyril, Rie...
(Tiger Lab) (2019—)
By Lee, Loogs
By Lee, Loogs
The Terminer Academy students take a field trip to Gay Island.
Feat. Dalisay, Wally, Emily, Pleiades, Emma Ray, Remiwith special guest Mica
(Tortoise Lab) (2021)
By Clubs
By Clubs
Darius tries to intervene in Sebastian's existential crisis.
Feat. Sebastian, Darius
Victor and Garth vignette (2021)
By
By
Garth has a run-in with Victor.
Feat. Victor, Garth
The Weather Report (2021—)
By SV
By SV
Rhys and Huckabee meet in Monmorency. They are hunkering down because of disastrous weather.
Feat. Rhys, Huckabeewith special guest Helen
The Characters
Cyril Magnussen
Rhys’s unnervingly pleasant neighbor who writes mystery and thriller novels for a living. In his spare time he can be found baking, cooking, taking care of his plants and cats, and cultivating a comfortable atmosphere for his guests.
Appears inTea Time | Sweltering Spells | The Saturn Transit Authority
Dalisay Salazar
A school-age girl forced to bottle up her negative emotions, lest her “friends” swoop in and crash the party.
Appears in(Tiger Lab)
Darius
A caring, empathetic man, whose heart is as full of love as it is devoid of life.
Appears in(Tortoise Lab)
Deandre Clarks
A high school junior documenting the events in his life on paper for his future reference.
Appears in(Dis)Appointments: Deandre
Emily Schwartzwald
The whimsical, energetic girls’ dean at Terminer Academy, Schwartzwald’s Bakery owner by day, Obsidian Hearts mercenary by night.
Appears in(Tiger Lab)
Emma Ray
A homegrown country girl with a green thumb and a larger-than-life personality.
Appears in(Tiger Lab)
Felix
A misanthropic career hacker who has never been a firm believer in being sober on the job.
Appears inPocket Check | (Dragon Lab 1)
Garth
A youth who stumbled upon the powerful Ophiuchus Amulet, he tries to do what good he can in the world, despite his powers slowly killing him.
Appears inBallots and Bullets | Garth in the mascot suit | Victor and Garth vignette
Hector Celeste-Shahrazad
A handsome sailor with a heart of gold. When he’s not spending time with his daughter and his dog traveling in a cozy sailing ship on the seven seas, he can usually be found having drinks and looking for someone to spend the night with.
Appears inRiptide Breakbeat Showdown| The Saturn Transit Authority
Helen Mercury
A magician with some very special tricks in her purple top hat, a fashionista, and a supportive friend off the stage.
Appears inSweltering Spells | Saturn Transit Authority | The Illustrious Ballad of Sailor Celeste
Daniel Huckabee
A high school English teacher leading a bloody double life, who recently relocated to Tengai for a fresh start.
Appears inThe Weather Report
Jesse Chase
A bubbly teen living in an untold number of alternate dimensions at once.
Appears inJesse’s journal entry
Jonas Caliban
A gentle giant starting over on dry land after one small bite at sea changed his life forever.
Appears inRiptide Breakbeat Showdown
Kioshi
A young, timid girl with an otherworldly charm.
Appears inThe Illustrious Ballad of Sailor Celeste
Kotta
Head of Outreach and chief negotiator of the Fascere Order. As a single mother to Remi, she has gained a reputation for working tirelessly and driving a hard bargain.
Appears in(Dis)Appointments: Remi
Lace Garrelcette
The product of an attempt to genetically engineer the perfect pilot with a playful and friendly demeanor.
Appears inPocket Check
Mihail Bibescu
A wealthy, young Lothario with a penchant for conspicuous consumption and an appetite for cheap thrills.
Appears inThe Illustrious Ballad of Sailor Celeste
Nopcsa
A smarmy mindreader from the Fascere Order, an organization that deals in mystical artifacts. He finds himself frequently at odds between the goals of his employer and the well-being of his friends.
Appears inBallots and Bullets
Pleiades
Hector's cynical 12-year old daughter, relieved to finally have a chance at taking control of her own life at Terminer.
Appears in(Tiger Lab)
Psi
Terminer’s school counselor, an easygoing man attempting to relate to the kids with his humor, and perhaps a bit too eager to please.
Appears in(Dis)Appointments: Deandre | (Dis)Appointments: Remi
Rie Nepas
A genetically-engineered shapeshifter with apathy to spare and emotional baggage to sort.
Appears inRiptide | A Thanksgiving Party
Remi Nan
A shy, outwardly easygoing boy from Montreal, in a constant struggle to stay awake and swearing in Quebecois French under his breath.
Appears in(Dis)Appointments: Remi | (Tiger Lab)
Reza
A displaced Summoner refugee in Tengaishima determined to start a new chapter in his life.
Appears inThe Saturn Transit Authority
Rhys Whitticker
A stoic, reserved British journalist who prefers to remain in the shadows as he conducts investigations of the Tengai Archipelago's Powers scene.
Appears inThe Weather Report | Sweltering Spells | A Thanksgiving Party | Tea Time
Sebastian
A soldier with a mysterious, angelic lineage who is struggling with his identity away from the battlefield.
Appears in(Tortoise Lab)
Telrien
A sticky-fingered woman, crack shot, and occasional associate of the Fascere Order.
Appears inBallots and Bullets
Terrian Brogue
The Archipelago's most neurotic so-called hero accidentally turned into its most prolific counterfeiter overnight when he discovered a lucrative exploit for his power of self-duplication.
Appears inBallots and Bullets
Victor
Already an accomplished dancer at the age of six, his success and fame have been met with rumors that he might have dabbled in devilry to achieve it. Some even claim that he can cast spells with his dance moves.
Appears inVictor and Garth vignette
Wally
A small, temperamental half-elf child obsessed with swords.
Appears in(Tiger Lab)
Young Hector
A teenage wanderer with a wild heart, a thirst for adventure, and the power of pyrokinesis at his fingertips.
Appears inThe Illustrious Ballad of Sailor Celeste | Happy Birthday, Pleiades | (Dragon Lab 1)
Young Thyra
An intelligent young lady spearheading the recovery of the city of Salcester after the Summoner attacks.
Appears inCalling an Empty Home
Young Yoshimitsu
A supersonic superhuman with a razor-sharp wit and a devil-may-care attitude. Hector’s traveling partner and best friend in the universe.
Appears inThe Illustrious Ballad of Sailor Celeste | (Dragon Lab 1)