with romance, this does not guarantee our characters are endgame. rather, the plot has romantic elements to it like former lovers, current attractions, etc. 

location preferences: walls typically, but will respond in rooms. anything smut related, strictly pm.

genre avoidances: nothing too fluff, comedic, or action based. willing to do comedy if the plot calls for it and it feels natural.

triggers/limits/will most likely not plot with: 

incest

sexual assault. it's fine if it is part of your character's background.

cancer. will most likely avoid plotting/rping with your character if it's part of their background in some way, especially if it is vital to your character or the plot. 

- will mirror responses.

- i am a slower responder.

- extra: i am slower with 3rd/para responses. just started writing in 3rd/para, so please excuse my rough responses.

plotting essentials and notes

• for plotting please send a pm.

• if you do not have any ideas when approaching me, please tell me what you like/don't like. 

• i can get extremely detailed and ask too many questions during the process, just a warning. this happens more so when there's history, angst, or complicated layers between our characters. i want to make sure we are on the same page.

• please contribute to the plotting process. it helps me immensely when suggesting ideas, but also inspires me to do better.

if i am not responding to you, it does not mean anything negative. i am slow with responses, so please be patient. me being in rooms is not a sign that i am ignoring you.

responses

overall: ooc is faster than ic. not a preference, it's easier for me to respond to something ooc.

ic responses: i try to get back to everyone at once.

TAKEN

part skeleton/part connection

relationship: exes

preferences: female and gisaeng. 28/32+ (this depends on if you connect with seol taejoon or jin jaeha)

genre: angst, drama, and possible romance

inspired by jang noksu, mainly honey lee’s portrayal from the rebel (2017)

preferred faceclaim: lee honey, seohyun, kim jaekyung, park gyuri, park jihyun, han yeseul, kim soyeon, lee dahee, lee chungah, sunmi, lee mijoo, lim jiyeon, jeon yeobeen, seo hyunjin, cha jooyoung, im soohyang, kim taeri, shin minah, jeon jongseo, lee elijah, sunhwa, go ara, park minyoung

notes
- warning: s.a.

doesn’t need to have a child. however, it would highlight her cutthroat and selfish nature.
- a confident femme fatale that knows her beauty, value, and potential. she will use this to her full advantage. saw her to be cunning and manipulative. she could raise or tear down any man she chooses. in some ways, inspired by hwang jini, a combo of brains and beauty.

people call her a monster, but do monsters cry? she was an expert in manipulation, commanding anyone to her her will. she used this well in her career as a gisaeng, a cycle that never seemed to end for the women in her family. growing up, she watched her mother become the new mistress to every magistrate that came into the town. their lifestyle depended on how well she got along with the magistrate. it continued like this for years until one day the newest official did not ask for her mother, but for her. both women were powerless, unable to say no. she could never forget or forgive those involved for putting her up on a platter like that.

she realized that she needed power at all costs. even years later, she tossed aside her young child and taejoon. to him, muse a was his first love and the one who treasured her most in the world. no matter what taejoon put into their relationship, he would always be on the losing side. all of this to become the most powerful woman in joseon. without power, how can she get her revenge on those that wronged her and stop her abuse because of her low status?

relationships

seol taejoon: to him, muse a was his first love and the one who treasured her the most in the world. yet, she knew he couldn’t provide her the resources and power she needed, despite his lineage. despite their past and the pain she’s put him through, he would always run to her whenever she asked. if she said jump, it was not a question of if he would, but rather how high.

jin jaeha: he could be one of the men that muse a uses for power. her benefactor, who works as a spy for him too.

relationship: enemies

preference: male, 30+, yangban.

taejoon could never fully understand muse a, one of his worst tormentors the moment their eyes met. despite both being yangban men from illustrious families, muse a made it a point to emphasize the differences between them. muse a had to prove his superiority over taejoon, whose background was still a mystery to many in high society. as years passed, both men continued on their respective journeys, but the rivalry continued between them. while taejoon vowed to be the better man, never to stoop to such lows, he swore he would one day prove that muse a was no better than him in any way, only worse.

relationship: on/off exes

preference: female, 27+

genres: angst, drama, romance

notes: this one is another toxic relationship

whenever muse a returned to taejoon’s life, it was a clear sign that something disastrous would follow soon afterwards. despite the bad luck that followed muse a, somehow these two always found their ways back to each other. there was nothing good between them, they were an unhealthy rollercoaster with a ticking time bomb. however, they were like two moths to a flame.

preference: someone whose close relative, friend, or lover was in the military, passed in battle

genres: angst, drama, revenge

trigger warning: death

taejoon will never forgive himself for his last battle, the one that led to nearly half of his men gone. neither will muse a, whose loved one passed in the same battle, under taejoon’s leadership. muse a’s resentment towards taejoon grew with each and every passing day, especially after he was transferred to the royal inspector’s office. despite his close relationship with muse a’s loved one, muse a cannot find it in them to forgive him.

relationship: ex fling
genre: comedy, drama, angst, potential romance, references of smut
preferences: female, 25+

note: it's a flexible plot that can go in many directions

occasionally taejoon is sent as an undercover spy to japan because of his vast knowledge of the language and culture, at times making him seem like one of the many locals there.

during one of his missions, he ends up in a fling with muse a, who happens to be there too. however, the two parties never reveal or realize that they're both from joseon. to them, it is nothing serious that required them to be personal with one another. eventually taejoon ghosts muse a, work coming up as usual. not much is thought about it until the two run into one another back in hanseong, revealing their true identities.

relationship: one-sided enemies, fake friends

genres: angst, drama, revenge

preference: yangban. someone with an evil and greedy father, grandfather, or head of the household.

it was muse a’s grandfather/father that played a huge role in the goo family’s downfall. not too long after the duke and his family’s arrest, it was muse a’s grandfather/father that tried to take all of the goo’s estates and assets, which was barely stopped by duke seol. duke goo knew this, but was powerless in this fight, something that his children would always remember. from the moment duke goo passed, taejoon swore that he would get revenge for his family, for his poor father and helpless mother. it would be a process that would take years, but revenge is a dish best served cold. taejoon infiltrated his way into muse a’s life and family, smiling and serving them on the outside, but with a blade behind his back, ready to kill when the time strikes. he does not care that muse a had no involvement in his family's downfall, to him muse and the rest of their family is the same, names for him to eliminate from his list.  

- formerly known as goo kyungjoon

- other aliases: hikaru

- faceclaim: wi hajoon

age: thirty

birthplace: changwon, joseon

social rank: yangban

title: marquess

occupation: general of the joseon army

when duke seol reinvented his grandsons' lives, kyungjoon chose taejoon. he remembered how his mother used to always call him, joon. wanting to keep that element and wishing that one day she would recognize him again, he kept the character, joon, in his name. the closest he feels to his mother now when she refers to him as joon, even if she still does not recognize him as her own.

warning: violence, death, gore

seol taejoon is best known for his moniker, the butcher. it is a name proven by the legends about him. on the battlefield, he hates using guns and spears. rather he carries an axe and sword with him, anything that lets him fight his enemies up close, such distance allowing him to taste and smell their fear. he slaughters his enemies, laughing his way through battles at times. there have been tales of him dragging his enemies across towns and fields by his horse, after they were chased down by him. the unlucky ones that survive rarely are sent to prison camps. if caught by him, most are murdered on the spot. he believes he is merciful for this, that it is better to end their sufferings there than to prolong such fears. he lives through this bloodshed.

many stories have been told of him destroying villages and residents there, but those that know him say it's quite the opposite. rather, he leaves the locals alone and even tells his men to leave them some supplies for the people to recoup. he says that it's a lesson from the art of war, but some swear that maybe he does not live up to his name completely.

this is one of the first few memories, seol taejoon has. his first memory as goo kyungjoon. he remembers being at his family’s estate in changwon, a cooler day in spring with the cherry blossom petals that fell around them. his mother chased after him and his older twin, kyungho, while his father and grandmother sat a pavilion nearby, sipping on tea and reading poetry together. it is one of the last few good memories the family would have together.

the goo family was the last of their kind and name. for many generations, the family would only birth one son to each generation and luck would have it where those singular men would live to adulthood, carrying and passing the family name. when goo kyungmin and seol jukyung ended up with twin boys, it seemed to be a miracle. the family counted their blessings with each passing day. duke goo kyungmin had a prestigious career in the court as an interpreter and ambassador between joseon and japan. seol jukyung was the epitome of being blessed as a wife and mother, flourishing in these roles, while remaining as her father, duke seol’s favorite child.

tragedy would strike, torpedoing the family into a spiral that they would never survive from. while in japan, duke goo was framed for collaborating with a local official in the murder of a feudal lord. it was at this time, the duke’s wife and children were in japan for vacation. with the whole family arrested, they were thrown in a military camp. the boys were only four years old, but already their life had gone from color to black and white.

seol jukyung appeared to be the lucky one, her father only able to ensure her release from the japanese government a year later from the arrest. however, goo kyungmin, kyungho, and kyungjoon were sentenced to death. the separation and loss broke down lady seol, who would forever spend her days at her father’s estate, searching for her husband and children. no one could say anything to her, knowing that she was a lost cause.

in response to the criminal charges, the joseon ordered that the goo family would be stripped of their titles and assets, demoting duke goo and his children to cheonmin status. with no “heirs” left, many families fought like hyenas for those crumbs. however, duke seol did everything he could to collect his former son-in-law's property, leaving it for his daughter.

kyungjoon would be called hikaru in the camps. as one of the youngest people there, he was an easy target by many. just in his first few months there, he was adopted by a local wealthy official’s family, who recently loss a son. what should had been a life of luxury was that of a nightmare instead. everyday, he missed his family and struggled fitting in with the family’s expectations of him replacing their deceased son. everyday he would sob as the family yelled and hit him into assimilation of high class edo society. unsatisfied that hikaru could never become their son’s carbon copy, they threw him back in the camps.

it was from then on, hikaru grew into his name meaning light and radiance. everyday the soldiers forced the boy and his older twin brother into becoming their slaves, doing whatever they wanted. however, it was in that time, he would slowly turn into the monster that he is known to be today. 

for their own kicks, boredom, and stress, the soldiers used the boys as their outlet. often time, taejoon would be beaten, burned, and turned into a target practice. during the evenings, he was cheap entertainment, forced into fights that the soldiers would place bets on. despite his injuries that sometimes left his restless, he was forced to start his mornings early and end his evenings late, hungry and exhausted. 

in the early days of the camp, he was considered easy pickings because of how little it took to break him down, to have him bawling and begging. however, that would soon translate to his happy-go-lucky personality there, eager to please. anything to help him and his family, to avoid them from any harm. when the boys were not busy with the tasks handed to them, they would wander around the camp and watch how the soldiers trained. copying the training soldiers and their opponents during their fights, they eventually picked up various martial arts skill sets. while they lacked basic training, the potential was there that turned them into fierce fighters.     

like many of their same aged peers, they rebelled. instead of fighting back against their parents, they followed their father to the very end, granting each wish of his. the general in the camp was ready to enlist the boys into his army, noticing their rudimentary potential. they were young, but old enough to hold a sword and broken beyond their years.

kyungjoon turned back into his sobbing five year old self that night. more often that he wanted, he nearly killed his opponents in his fights, but made sure to leave them just breathing. he could not stand the idea of taking another's life. however, it was that night his father asked him to do the unthinkable, to kill him and runaway. his head throbbing from the never-ending tears shed, his arm against his mouth to muffle his sobbing, he begged over and over.

“please, father. don’t make me do this. i can’t. please.”

however, he would only look at his father one last night time, a smile on the older man’s face, before embracing him tight in a fight. he held onto his father tight until he felt his older brother do what he could not, stab straight through the heart. it was fast, a short time of suffering for the former duke goo, one a pain that would last for a lifetime for both boys.

had it been his way, kyungjoon would had held onto his father tight all night, until every single bit of warmth left the once proud man’s body. instead, it was kyungho that had to drag his sobbing younger twin away. the only thing that kyungjoon could do for his poor father was start the fire that engulfed the hell that they lived in for the past ten years, but would never consider home.

despite the time that passed, changwon was their home. their mother was their last bit of home.

when the boys were caught stealing rice by an aged former samurai, he took them in during his final months. the man trained them the basic fighting skills that they lacked all these years. in return, the boys cared for the man until his passing. back again on the streets, the boys made their decision to return back to joseon, the country that turned their back on them. 

the twins learned what remained left of their family were in gangneung, their maternal family’s hometown. even after their long journey, the two were not welcomed with open arms. rather the duke saw them as fakes, vermin to be run out of his estate. in the past, there were those that tried to poach the goo family’s assets and many claiming to be the twins themselves. to him, the twins were no different.

their mother and grandmother were their saving graces, but not everything settled int their rightful spots. their mother did not see the twins as her sons, only remembering and searching for her five year old boys. yet, there was a connection between the three that she could sense, but never fully wrap her head around. her mind was not like it once was, nor would it ever be.

it was in that time, a dark hatred grew in him. a hatred for the family that ruined and tore his apart. a hatred for the country that left him and his family to fend for themselves. a hatred for the grandfather that never protected them. he needed his revenge, but was unsure of how at first.

in the year since their return to the seol family estate, they spent their time taking care of their mother and grandmother, but also training and honing their combat skills. noticing their skills, duke seol found purpose for the boys and finally accepted under certain conditions.

he purchased them new yangban titles and identities, only announcing to the public that the twins were his secret sons that he kept hidden for privacy reasons. not much was known about them. rumors swirled about who their mother was. some said she was a beautiful gisaeng that met her unfortunate end when the duke refused to make her his concubine. others said she was a wealthy woman in japan, explaining the boys’ expertise in the japanese culture and language. 

what was known was that to many they were fake yangban, never as good as the real thing. 

with their new titles and identities, the duke wasted no time in building them up. he forced them to go through classes from dawn to midnight. they dealt in crash courses of literature, military strategy, and combat. all of this to become perfect yangban generals, but nothing would ever clean the grime off of the boys. while many of their peers would shine like diamonds, there was always a stain to them.

the moment taejoon turned eighteen, he enlisted in the military. there, it gave him the space he needed away from his grandfather. it also allowed him to start his lifelong plan for revenge. 

relationship: forbidden exes. his first love. his weakness. his former ally
gender: female
age: 30-36
rank: sangmin or cheonmin
inspired by: yi soon and jang okjung from living in love, jang okjung

“you don’t see me as a man, but as a sky you’ll never reach. let me show you, the sky will fall for you.”

background: muse a was a woman that rose from rags to riches, becoming one of the most powerful women in joseon without a title or status to her. she was a fixer and a closer, connecting some of most powerful people from qing to joseon and orchestrating some of the biggest deals in the nation. her journey originated from her need to help her family. after a life changing event, she realized that for her to stay with and help her first love, taejoon, they both needed power. however, it was that same path that turned her over to the dark side. while surrounded by wealth

personality: a femme fatale. some would find her admirable for her ascent into power, others would see more akin to an evil dog without morals and dignity. ambition never seemed to run through her veins. she accepted her status, wanting a comfortable life with her family. once she experienced discrimination because of her status, her hunger grew. she lost sight of her motivations, instead led by a need for power and wealth. she’s willing to do whatever it takes, has little empathy for others, leading to those she loved abandoning her. if it wasn’t for her status and gender, nothing would hold her back.

relationship with taejoon: they are each other’s first loves, meeting shortly after his eighteen birthday. originally, she refused to accept taejoon’s feelings, knowing the difference in their classes, unaware at first of his true origins. once aware of his past, she decided to become his partner in revenge and love. despite taejoon’s murky status and background, duke seol forbade the relationship because she was below his precious grandson. the duke would eventually try to force the two to break up, but nothing seemed to work. even the event that changed her over to the dark side could not stop them, just yet. however, taejoon could not handle it. their love did not turn them for the better, rather they brought out the worst in each other. while he would had sacrificed himself for her, he had to end things once she did the unthinkable. til this day though, he knows he would do anything for her. sometimes he wonders if she is the one that got away.

“you told me that you would hold my hand forever, but now you’re letting go.”

notes:
- the life changing incident ideas: duke seol causes muse a to have a miscarriage or destroy her family.
- the unthinkable event that causes their breakup has to be pretty heinous, but justified in her mind. after all, it was for their future.
face claim suggestions: kim jaekyung, kim jiwon, cha jooyoung, chae soobin, lee chungah, chun woohee, jo boah, lee seyoung, gong seungyeon, lee elijah, jang heejin, shin minah, kim hyunjung, kim ahyoung, seo hyunjin, im soohyang, kim hyojin, lee dahee, go ara, park jihyun, bona/kim jiyeon, min hyorin

preference: female. 27+. most likely yangban. if not, comes from a heavily connected and/or politically savvy jungin family.
relationship: arranged engagement.
note: as of right now, i have/will be writing taejoon’s fiancee as an npc until someone takes this connection.

seol taejoon hates everything about this engagement and will do anything to end it. he knows there is no love lost between him and muse a. after all, her family once looked down on him. a bastard son with unsavory rumors about his origins, he is a fake yangban to many of their peers. he is a rowdy tiger that has butchered many in his path, the human version of a beast. however, as duke seol’s youngest son and a general in her majesty’s army, one cannot resist the prestige and connections that come with his background. he sees right through muse a and her family, adding it one of many reasons why they should end this engagement of theirs before it is too late.