Tempest Kwake (kweyk | /kweɪk/)

Shhhhhh, it's okay. It's fine. It's fine. The burning won't stop until you do. You might want to just... run.

— Tempest

  All medical tests on Tempest ended UNBELIEVABLY BADLY and most doctors gave up trying.   They were a bit out of shape and definitely had asthma, but not much else was known because they kept melting the needles for blood tests.   They had a diagnosis of IBS, mostly because no one could run any other tests, so they had no idea what caused the gut problems.

Like, I honestly try not to have a body most of the time, y'know? They're totally inconvenient...

— Tempest

  The Flame of Encouragement appeared in human form as a solidly-built AFAB masc/neutral human who was somewhat on the short side. In bunny form, the Great Flame appeared as a black-tailed jackrabbit, also known as an American desert hare, with orange and black agouti fur that appeared to shift into living flame. Strangely, the black-tipped ears and tail appeared to be slightly burnt, rather than a variation in fur colouration, and in bunny form, a faint scent of burning hair lingered around them. They were on the shorter side of the species, but were solidly-built in hare form, too.   It was known they have a badger form as well, but very little was known about it. They only seemed to use it when they need to store extra Overflow power. They also revealed that they could and have been turned into a fish.

Tempest had six beard hairs that they were very proud of and a few small facial scars they didn't talk about much.

The Prinx was often seen wearing blue lenses or flame rimmed glasses. Their ears, and other parts of their body, were marked with burn scars in most of their known forms, although the scars on their giant desert hare's ears disappeared sometime prior to the Third Word War.

Tempest could wiggle their ears, no matter what form they were in.

Tempest channeled fire magic. This was because they were connected to a part of The Void they called The Overflow, which is a fiery realm containing multitudes of different realities. They could also shift effortlessly between one reality and the next. They were capable of bringing Sable with them, as she is immune to the fire of the Overflow, but no one else without Sable's help.   This ability was used to help evacuate the Warren in the 2022 Word War, and was central to The Great Migration.

Tempest was often seen either in full flame mode, or wearing a flame shirt, flame pants, and flame glasses (which they wore over their "proper glasses" which let them see clearly). They also often wore orange, glittery crocs and (very occassionally) a flame cloak.

A coffin handle staff used to channel their fire-totem magic (no one knows where this came from and frankly, everyone was a little afraid to ask)

A lantern used to light the words for other writers

A ukulele, also used to channel their fire-totem magic

First Word War

No one was really sure where this fickle flame caster came from. They bounced into the House Molluscan army one day and refused to leave until the end of the First Word War While they celebrated the Molluscan win, and indeed fought on their behalf during the first Tourney they and their newly discovered flame powers soon found things too wet for their liking.   With a few other newly found flame casters, Tempest founded the Minor House Incendium just before the second Tourney. They swore to House Lapin, enjoying the coziness of the Warren.  

Second Word War

At the beginning of the Second Word War Tempest became Patient Zero of the Filking Plague first and quickly passed it on to nearly everyone, from House Leader to Tome Knight to Tome Zombie, and even to the Night Monarch. Completely unrepentant, Tempest was named Filk Master after the war to try and mitigate the chaos.   During the Second Word War, Tempest and House Incendium bounced from House Tiki to House Meles to House Mollusca (apparently forgetting the Molluscans live under water) to finally land back in the Warren with House Lapin. There they stayed, proving that even a fickle flame can be loyal when it feels like it.  

2022

In the April Tourney 2022 the Filk Master began handing out medallions called The Flame of Encouragement to Tome Knights who took significant actions to encourage others. Rumour had it that he started a competitor organization to the Self Care Mafia, the Chaos Cartel . Rumour also had it that the Mother of Bunnies joined this illicit group. The fact that the Flame of Inspiration dissolved Minor House Incendium seemed to substantiate these rumours.   In January 2022 when Sable Aradia was stabbed, Tempest (who was visiting the Warren) helped Commander DM Stretch burn the assassin to ash. Following the Tourney, with the disappearance of Commander Stretch, Tempest, somewhat surprisingly to those who know the fickle nature of the Great Flame, joined the Owsla to fill the vacant position.   At about the same time, Tempest began appearing in a singed orange-furred fire bunny form, and Sable and Tempest began addressing each other as siblings. Since Tempest was known to be the sibling of the Bardger of House Meles, Realm of Music, it was unknown how this was possible, but Queen Sable confirmed the relationship and cheerfully and publicly acknowledged and even celebrated it.     They spent some time after escaping in the 1337 Speak Reality, where they apparently married a man known only as "Buddha" Kwake. He insisted on joining Tempest in the GoTverse during The Third Word War in November 2022.  

Third Word War

  During the subsequent resulting Tome War, Tempest took charge of House Lapin after the fall of The Warren to The Undead Horde when Sable fell unconscious after repelling a large number of zombies. Tempest. who had discovered they could use The Chief Rabbit's enchanted key, locked down the Warren and sealed the Lapin Secret Library so that the zombies could not get inside.   They then took the refugees to House Sauropoda but did not bend the knee in their sister's place, although they did pass on Queen Sable's wish to pledge Lapin's support. They fought hard at the Battle of Mount Mitchell, but disappeared partway through with Queen Sable and Duke Buddha Kwake to help revive Prince Galakrond, taking one of the two Night Monarchs off the field of battle. When they returned, they helped rally the troops to Good King Bob and helped him filk the zombies back to life, in lieu of writing in the Tome.     As a result, the Prinx suffered from Magic Drain, which presented at first as pneumonia. Despite their illness, they celebrated Tomesmas with the rest of the Warren following the war.  

Early 2023

In February 2023, Tempest was fired from the Owsla by Queen Sable, who cited concern for keeping her family alive.     In the April Tourney, Prinx Tempest recieved one of The Iron Crowns of the Woodlanders, specifically the Lapin Coronet. They worked hard in The Literomantic Games and, while they did not place on a podium, they did judge the Filking competition.     Following April, Tempest was very busy during the Battle vs the Nite Qing, The Penwall Ritual, and finally being appointed Seneschal to House Lapin and The Rabbit's Paw to their sister, Queen Sable. They flailed around wildly from time to time, unused to holding positions of political authority.  

The Great Migration

Between the April and July 2023 Tourneys, it came to Tempest's attention that the 1337 Speak Reality was soon to be destroyed in a fiery apocalypse, and they approached Queen Sable to ask if they could bring people across before the destruction took place. A massive effort errupted across the Realm to save as many people as they could from the 1337 Speak Reality.   The Prinx vanished into the portal when it collapsed at the end of The Great Migration. No one else saw what happened, but Queen Sable claims she saw them dissolve into the Void.   All attempts to contact the Prinx have failed. Members of Parliament pushed Queen Sable to list them officially as "Missing in Action, Presumed Dead." Initially, the Bunny Queen refused. She appointed Erin Righ Seneschal of House Lapin in their absence.   There is some evidence, especially cited by their family, that the Prinx was aware of the potential cost of their effort to save the people of 1337 Speak, and chose this fate willingly.  

Fourth Word War

There were some early signs that the Lapin Prinx might yet be alive in some form. Queen Sable reported frequent dreams of her sibling, and prior to one of the early battles of the Fourth Word War, The 50K Team Up, a number of House Bodyguards reported that they had been brought together to form a squad of Literomancers by dreams of the Prinx, who asked them to meet at The Watching Dogs in Monte Carlo for this purpose.   However, those hopes were dashed when the literomantic protection Team F* the Horde generated for them failed to latch on, and connected to Dame Flubb of the Owsla instead. This was considered conclusive proof of the Prinx's demise, and the Bunny Queen bowed to the wishes of her Parliament. Erin Righ's appointment was made permanent, and it is likely the Prinx will be officially declared dead when the requisite seven years have passed.   All of the members of the Woodland Family Alliance wore orange armbands into the field during the Fourth Word War in honour of the missing Prinx. While the family held a private memorial ceremony, no state funeral has yet been held, and will not be until the Great Flame is officially deceased.

While they made no bones about being AFAB, the Prinx presented as neutral or masculine.

Tempest was Ace-spectrum, demi-sexual, and claimed to be polyamorous and pansexual as well.

After the Second Word War, Tempest was employed as the Filk Master of Game of Tomes.   Tempest joined the Owsla in May of 2022 and was fired in February 2023 on the grounds of Sable not wanting them to die.   Tempest was appointed Seneschal of House Lapin on May 6th of 2023.

Tempest wrote several books, and left several more in various stages of construction and reconstruction.   Tempest was also a decently accomplished musician, singing middling-well and playing the ukulele passably. They wrote many songs, enough that there were rumors that they had an album out for sale.

Tempest started more books than they finished. While they admitted there were mitigating circumstances to each failed book, they also hoped to someday finish each failed project.   Tempest also felt responsible for the chaos and stress brought to Sable Aradia of House Lapin by the Filking Plague. This is why they stepped willingly up as Filk Master after the Second Word War.

Oh, filk me, I practically burned the house down a few times. I was a mess. Uncontrolled magic and severe trauma is a terrible combination.

— Tempest, talking about their trauma with a therapist

  Prinx Tempest was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and saw a therapist for it. The nature of the trauma is not publicly known, but most assume it is probably connected to the Word Wars.

Tempest was very smart, but suffered from several learning disabilities. These included but were not limited to:  

ADHD

Dyslexia

Dysgraphia

Dyscalculia

PTSD

While they were known to gripe about how these disabilities limited them (in particular the ADHD and dyslexia), they also said they would not want to go without them.  

I, like, would totally not be half the literomancer I am today without my ADHD, y'know? And the dyslexia and the rest, like, keep my life interesting. I struggle, but, like, that's totally life for you.

— Tempest about their learning disabilities

  They might also have been Autistic and were seeking a diagnosis at the time of their disappearance.

Tempest was fiercely protective of their loved ones, unwaverily loyal to the people who earned their affection, and took perceived betrayal about as well as they took being doused with water.   Other than that, were described frequently as "pretty chill."

Tempest did not stand for people putting down their own or other people's writing.  

Like, we all start somewhere, y'know? Shutting yourself or other people down is, like, totally not cool.

— Tempest

I might be dumb, but I'm not that dumb.

— Tempest

 

I'm FUNNY!?

— Tempest

 

I'm as subtle as a brick to the face.

— Tempest

  Smarter than anyone (including Tempest) realized, poorly educated in weird areas, witty, and tactless, Tempest was occasionally difficult to parse.

Tempest could not STAND the color pink. Purple was acceptable... sometimes. They guessed.   Tempest's favorite colors, on the other hand are, were order of precedence:  

green

blue

red

orange

They used a loooooooooooooooooooooot of Voidnip.

The coming of Prinx Tempest was prophesized in the 1336 Speak Reality. Called The Fire Who Speaks of Trauma, the Voidwalker, and Voidborn, they were the subject of prophecies embraced by a fringe group that claimed the end of the world was coming, and Tempest was the path to safety. These prophecies turned out to be accurate. Some, particularly The Newcomers from 1337 Speak, honour them as possibly a saint, and certainly a hero.   Perhaps the most enduring legacies of the Prinx are The Filking Plague, which has become endemic and is now even celebrated culturally, and the Chaos Cartel, which continues to exist and encourage the Tome Knights of the Realm following their demise.

The Great Flame was the sibling of Realm of Music, the Bardger, through a parent who was said to be a phoenix. This tied them firmly to the House Meles family line, and peripherally to the House Lapin family line.   In July 2022 it was revealed Tempest was Queen Sable's sibling.  

Realm of Music - brother by birth mother (no DNA relation)

Darth Nikolas - brother-in-law

Lord Galakrond - nephew

Erin Righ - brother-in-law

Sable Aradia - sister

The Flame of Inspiration's religious views remained unclear, but they occasionally called on El-Ahrairah and Frith, as Sable-rah does. Whether they picked that up from her is unknown.

Tempest knew how to knit and crochet, and often liked to do so as an ADHD fidget during boring meetings and long conversations.

Tempest had a slight stutter, a mouth as foul as their sister's, and little sense of tact or social graces. They were awkward in social situations, and it was common for them to blurt out inappropriate commentary and "TMI."

Tempest seemed oblivious to the concept of owning money. They had no idea how to spend any of it.