TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 5

[avalonmods]

✨ Greet new players on the OOC intro while apps are processed HERE! ✨

{ QUICK NAV } Premise ⚔️️ Rules ⚔️️ FAQ ⚔️️ Taken ⚔️️ Reserves ⚔️️ Apply ⚔️️ Locations ⚔️️ Bestiary ⚔️️ Top-Levels Only ⚔️️ A ⦿ Soaking in Your Arrival KERPLUNK, SPLASH! Regardless of what you were in the middle of, you and your familiar have been magically pulled into the world of Avalon just above the Bay's slightly chilled waters. After a brief plunge into the Bay, the rush of water filling your ears and soaking up into every creak and crevice of your body, you may need to cough to clear your airways when you rise above the surface. It's still chilly, but not enough that you can't manage on your own. The Lady of the Lake is swimming around under the water, but seems to be focusing on coordinating a band of chia manatees to help rescue any wayward new arrivals. Chia manatees are a special Avalonian manatee that is green in color and has what appears to be a patches of grass or other short plantlife growing on its back. While some are fully green, others sport small flower blossoms that haven't yet grown in or various types of mushrooms. If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. Those with animal magic may get their info from the manatees, though may notice that they're really overly friendly and have zero concept of personal boundaries. Everyone may notice they have no concept of personal space, as they will happily run right into someone's belly for a snoot squishing. The shores themselves are littered with new arrivals complaining their way up a staircase carved into the walls of the White Cliffs. There is no railing, so be careful, but if you do fall, be prepared for a mysterious sand hand to reach out of the side of the cliffs to catch you. The hand will pat you atop the head twice before retreating back into the wall. This is the Cliff Beast; despite the name, he is quite friendly. *Reminder: Your character's familiar may or may not be with your character in their initial plunge. If the familiar isn't partial to water, it may meet your character on the beach or sit atop their head while they swim. Or if they are, they might splash about and swim alongside your character. Familiars have different personalities and body specs and we leave those up to the players. B ⦿ The Caravan to Camelot Once everyone is wrangled up to the top of the White Cliffs, the handsome owner of the Rent-a-Ride, Archimedes, will distribute smart phones and a pair of earbuds and tell them to "Check the Shit Box." The "Shit Box" refers to wardrobe more formally known as the Wardrobe of Finding, a hammerspace-like wardrobe that opens to each person's items and pets when the person touches the handle. It was recently enchanted by Merlin to prevent people from having to fish their waterlogged possessions and pets out of the water with them. From there, Archimedes directs everyone to settle in groups into modernized carriages pulled by horses and gives them a basic explanation of why and how they've been brought to Avalon: The rest of the universe is frozen in time and your character has been brought here by a familiar that was able to bond with them. They'll have to learn magic to help save their own world from destruction, but first they've got to get them to Camelot. It is here that you have the first opportunity to decide who they will be in their new home. You'll have about an hour to wander around here, meet and greet, and pet the horses before it's time to go. These carriages use fae technology that combats weight, so your character will be able to get in regardless of whether they're light as a feather or weigh two tons. The carts have air conditioning when it's hot, heating when it's cold, and a mystical shield to protect from bugs. There is also a mini-bar that pops out of the console with nip bottles. Characters can use their smartphones to connect to Camelot's internet service, avalononline (AOL), to chat with other characters, watch dumb videos, learn about the world, contact Camelot Support (they'll answer any questions they can for you, from how to use a smart phone to where to find quests and resources to learn more about your magic). Be careful if you decide to use your phones while in the caravan-- if you don't use those earbuds and start forcing everyone to listen to your nonsense, Archimedes may make you walk. C ⦿ The Red Spring The journey from the White Cliffs to the City of Camelot is a long one, and the first evening you arrive you'll end up spending at the Red Spring, a booming resort town. Because of the volume of new arrivals and vacationers, inn rooms are assigned two-to-a-room. The rooms have two twin beds, a bathroom, a mini-fridge and microwave, and a TV equipped with a couple of entertaining video games and a few free movies. If you don't want to relax in the room, try taking a dip in the spring for another chance to meet your fellow travelers. The waters have restorative properties that help horses and travelers recover quickly when drunk. It is known to relieve stress, improve energy levels, and mildly accelerate healing. It may be a little chilly when you get out though, so make sure you don't slip rushing back indoors when you get out! The springs are also home to a large training grounds just outside town limits, where there are teachers who will teach basic magic safety and help you discover what kind of magic you have together with other new arrivals. Try target practice, obstacle courses, meditation circles, and other ways to try to figure out just what you can do... if you didn't already have an accidental discovery on the ride there. The Isle of Avalon is abuzz with excitement for the upcoming Spring Equinox (though some of the more posh citizens will insist it's the Vernal Equinox, tut tut). Unlike the very specific rituals of the Winter Solstice that require much preparation, the Spring is welcomed throughout the month through a variety of small rituals to help the world along as it renews itself, growing new plants and allowing nature to make new life. A ⦿ The Lesser Banishing of Frost Fairies Throughout February, the Frost Fairies were running amok and keeping things chilly, even awarding those who gave them treats last month. These fairies create ice crystals on contact and can be spotted by the beautiful ice crystal patterns that form in their trail. They cause frost bite if you physically touch them, so capture isn't recommended. They seem to be sticking around a little too long this month, as they're normally supposed to leave at the end of February. No one seems alarmed, as it seems that this happens from time to time. It's easy enough to deal with-- and so, people throughout town are being asked to perform a ritual called the Lesser Banishing of Frost Fairies. It's perfectly safe, and lets these invisible little creatures be sent on their way until the next winter. The first step: create bait. Fill a planter with dusty miller and silver sage, with a night-blooming flower at the center. The silvery-white leaves pique the curiosity of the Frost Fairies because they look snowy, yet when they see the flower bloom, they know it cannot be. The plants won't be damaged at all in the ritual, so you'll get a moon garden out of it, which can be incidentally draw adorable little moon rabbit kits in to play inside your home while the moon is out. They're friendly, though they do tend to enjoy pack-sized snuggles-- you may find yourself stuck with no fewer than 15 rabbits attempting to climb on you for attention and need someone's help to pull them off. You may need to get them under control before you continue with the ritual. Once you've assembled your miniature moon garden, you'll need to find a stranger to perform the ritual. You need to bring a new energy into your home in order to let the Frost Fairies know that it's time to meet something new. Take hands with the new person and dance in circles around the miniature moon garden. The plants will start to glow and the Frost Fairies will become visible-- short, fat, all-white penguin with flamingo-length legs and icicle crowns. They will immediately challenge you and your summoning partner to a duel! Though, you can pick what kind of challenge it is as their culture dictates. They're pretty overconfident, just remember not to pick something that involves touching them unless you want to end up needing a healer. B ⦿ The Language of Flowers Once the Frost Fairies are properly banished, flowers are starting to crop up all around Camelot, the Broceliande, the fields in between, and those who come back to the White Cliffs after arrival will even find the Cliff Beast in a pleasant mood from all the lovely little flowers hanging off of his clifftop. (No one's quite sure how a cliff seems happy, but that's the sense everyone gets.) Wherever you may be, there are flowers starting to crop up. Normally, this would be when people would start gathering decorations to cover the buildings and make flower altars, but a lot of the wild flowers normally accessible... well... It looks like a brood of dragons hatched a little early and, upon seeing all the flowers start to crop up, decided that these flowers are the treasures that they want to hoard. The baby dragons didn't fly too far down from their mountain, but once one of them flew past the Lands of Rot and found the fields of flowers, it got its siblings. Now there are a handful of baby dragons claiming different areas as their hoard and making it impossible to get around without being attacked by an admittedly cute fire-breathing menace. No one wants the baby dragons slain, but the baby dragons need to be brought back to their mother's cave in the Ash Mountains. The safest way is through the half-dead area between the Dusklight Woods and the Lands of Rot. The dragons will attack anyone who comes into their area but seem to be friendly toward anyone wearing a flower crown, as they seem to accept them as a part of their hoard if the flowers send the right message. Use the language of flowers to communicate with the dragons and try to get them to follow you by wearing a flower crown that matches one you offer to the dragon. A flower crown that says sympathy and sadness might not be as effective as something that says virtue and bravery. Just be careful not to woo them the wrong impression with something that says eternal love and devotion, or you might have a different kind of dragon problem... Regardless, since the dragons are guarding the flowers you need to make the crowns out of, you'll need to find a way to get past their attacks to gather flowers to begin with to find the flowers you want to make your crown with. Flower crowns need at least two types of flowers to communicate with the dragons, so it's recommended you work together with others to try to gather as many flowers as you can to find the flowers you need. Thankfully, since dragons are sacred, most of the Dusklight Woods creatures will leave you alone, so it's best to hug that side of the mixed path. You and whoever you're working with only have to worry about fighting alongside the baby dragons to fight off the Land of Rot creatures that hang around the edge: Skeleton warriors that can only be scattered but not killed, Fogueria (a lion made of fire that likes to play with its food in sadistic ways), and rattlesnakes. Once you're at the foot of the Ash Mountains, the baby dragons will fly back up to their cave on their own. With the baby dragons returned to their nest, you can head home, and the townsfolk can start decorating for the Spring Equinox. C ⦿ Spiritual Cleansing The frost is gone, the flowers are free, and rabbits are running around town like they own the place. All of the physical and symbolic spring equinox preparations are made, now it's time to look within. As the season of renewal and rebirth, a huge part of that is personal reflection and growth. As such, outdoor meditation and yoga flash parties are all the rage right now. Get caught it one and you and anyone around you will be stuck in a barrier until you complete at least 5 yoga poses and hold them for 30 seconds each. Some of them are a little challenging.. thankfully, no one is going to stop you from getting help holding them from someone else who's stuck with you. A plague of smoothie hockers has also cropped up around town, which means portable carts offering different magical smoothies is going around selling their fruity and flowery spring flavors for a refreshing boost of your spirit. No, really boost it. The magical effects are in small text underneath the flavors, so they may be easy to miss. Hibiscus-Berry: Vanity Spirit (person may become temporarily obsessed with appearance, finding cute clothes, getting their hair and nails done, needing to be their ideal of attractive) Strawberry-Rose: Romantic Spirit (flirtiness, desire to be romantic with someone) Jasmine-Peach: Friendship Spirit (go out of your way to make new friends, make grand friendship gestures to people you've already befriended or have known for five minutes and want to befriend) Lavender-Mulberry: Distrusting Spirit (paranoid, may start fights because they think someone is out to get them) Butterfly Pea-Lemon Tea: Meditative Spirit (fall asleep easily, peaceful/relaxed about alarming things, sudden penchant for Big Thoughts about the universe) Dandelion-Apple-Banana: Surivival Spirit (sudden desire to do everything yourself, whether that's hunting/gathering food, getting really into DIY projects like making your own soap or building your own chicken hutch because you're going to get your own eggs, or really wanting to live outside for a while) The effects only last for an hour or two, so it's unlikely any real damage can be done (hopefully) but it'll certainly give you a new outlook on life! Spring is in the air, the Equinox is coming, and prep is underway. But all work and no play can get a little boring, right? Avalonians have come together and set up a few activities for Adventurers. While all of these activities can be completed and enjoyed without using magic, participants will be encouraged do to so, don’t worry if it goes a little haywire. There are magical force fields around the play zones to contain any mishaps. A ⦿ Keep it Rollin' Rollin' The first area set up for fun and games is a barrel rolling contest. Participants are split into pairs to compete against each other to see who can roll their partner inside the barrel down the hill and across the finish line the fastest. Springtime is when geysers start bursting around the bottom of the hill though, so you'll have to watch out for those and any boulders to make sure your barrel doesn't burst before you reach the bottom! To make things a little more interesting, the planners had a bit of mischief with the barrels... As barrels reach a quarter of a way down the hill, the outside will burst into flames. Surprise! While they are enchanted so that the flames aren't actually hot, participants are not aware of this. Sorry, the guys running this game aren’t that big on explaining; after all, it’s just rolling a fire barrel down the hill; what’s so complicated? Fire makes it look like it's going faster and is way more exciting to watch! B ⦿ Hop Skip and a Jump Everyone loves hopscotch, right? Well, whether you do or don’t, that next zone is all about the hop, the skip, and the jump. Two hopscotch boards about the size of a basketball court each are laid out side by side for participants. The object again, to see who can complete the task that fastest. If you reach a spot with a magic symbol, you have to cast a spell at your opponent or you can't proceed. This is combat hopscotch! Of course, once more, the folks running the show forgot to mention one tiny thing, a quarter of the way into the board, random spots will drop away as you go, leaving holes in the ground! Yikes, better take that leap! Don’t worry, if you miss, the bottom of the hole is filled with marshmallow fluff in bright pink, yellow, and pastel purple. (Kind of reminds you of something, huh...?) Down in the hole are rungs and footholds to get yourself back out, but boy, will that put you behind the other guy if they didn’t fall. Well, guess victory will have to be a little sweeter than you planned! C ⦿ Gettin' Brewy With It Now, this activity probably seems a little safer. Welcome to the “Brew” tent. Participants will be given ingredients, space, and set up in pairs to brew up a tasty drink! A variety of ingredients are available and with it, participants will be taught the Recipe: Brewery. This spell can be used to accelerate brewing and distilling processes for alcoholic drinks. Of course, if someone who is too young to drink according to their world's rules, any alcohol in the drink will evaporate, so it's really only a spell that's useful for adults... but everyone can participate in making drinks. You can pick any ingredients you want, but all participants are instructed that a sprinkle of that magic at just the right time will make it perfect. When asked what the right time is, all they will be told is they’ll know when. Some may get it right, depending on instinct. Others might sprinkle too much and cause the drink to burst all over them and their partner, and their workstation or have some other silly side effect, like make them hiccup uncontrollably or catch a case of the giggles. Or maybe they cast for too long or too short a time and the drink turns sour, turns to ash, grows wings on the cup, and flies away. Brewery magic can be fickle, so there's lots that can go wrong.. but get it right, and you can have one heck of a drink to enjoy! MOD NOTES: • All test drive prompts are open to anyone in the game at any time to create your own logs with, but this post should have top-levels by potential new characters only. Current characters may reply to any threads, but should not top-level comment on this post. • If your application is accepted, you may accept TDM threads as game canon as long as both players consent. Characters may begin threading as soon as their journal is accepted to the communities. • If nothing here tickles your fancy, try one of this month's Quests for your TDM prompt. • The first "Arrival" prompts are present on every TDM, but contain seasonal tweaks for flavor. All other prompts will change monthly. • Questions about this TDM's content? Comment here! If you have a question about the game at-large, please head over to the FAQ.

Comments

:D

[bloodandlife]

[...ah. So he's still upset. Well, of course he is. It doesn't change what Zagreus needs to do, but he wishes...no. There's no point in wishing when he can just talk to Thanatos now.

Which he's about to do, until Thanatos goes on. And it's now that he does start to notice the little things--his friend standing on solid ground, his own feet no longer burning. His brow furrows in confusion.]

Avalon? I've never heard of it. What's going on, Than? I thought I'd died again, that Father defeated me, but now I'm not so sure.

Re: :D

[inevitablerest]

[Upset? No, never upset. What would he have to be upset about?

Thanatos studies Zagreus for several long moments. The questions are expected, and how much the young god likes to talk is anticipated, and yet he feels... strange. He's happy to see Zagreus here, but still angry and frustrated and unable (or unwilling) to put those things aside.

He never has handled that kind of conflict terribly well.]

You're cold. Here. [Bypassing the questions, he pushes a warm blanket firmly against Zagreus' chest.] Your father may have done just that. He isn't here. This is... a separate realm. I've met only one person who was passingly familiar to me.

[bloodandlife]

[Zagreus may not be a patient person by nature, but for Thanatos, he's always willing to wait through these silences. Even if it makes him uncomfortable, thinking about what might be going through the other god's mind. Whatever he's expecting, it isn't...a blanket. He blinks, moving to take it in hand mostly by instinct.]

It is rather chilly here, isn't it? Even without the snow.

[He wraps the blanket around his shoulders and bundles up in it. He can't help a sigh of relief at the comfortable warmth, even as he thinks that this sort of thing seems...a bit uncharacteristic of Thanatos, doesn't it? Then again, Zagreus misread his friend's intentions last time they saw each other, too...maybe he just hasn't been paying enough attention. He smiles.]

That's much better. Thank you. My father isn't here, you say? I like this place already. But...how did we get here? How long have you been here?

[inevitablerest]

A few weeks. Not nearly enough time to become accustomed to it.

[Enough time to move into wearing slightly warmer clothes at least (and shoes too, after cutting the underside of his foot turned out to be a far more shaking experience than he'd expected), but certainly not enough time to shake off several eons of habits and perceptions.

Offering some comfort to Zagreus, however abruptly, is only a small symptom of how being here has caused some adjustments in his ways of thinking. It is definitely not a symptom of the fact he's missed his friend.]

They tell us that our connection to something here draws us. A 'familiar'. [His own is, in fact, nearby. A sizeable three headed-black dog is snuffling around nearby, almost entirely ignoring Thanatos.]

If you have a lot of questions you should ask Archimedes. He's at the top of the cliffs.

[bloodandlife]

A few weeks? But...what about the mortals? What happens if you're not there to collect them? You said...that you can't take me anywhere. You can't leave here, can you?

[That last question is really more of a statement--a realization. That's pretty alarming, actually!]

Never thought I'd have to break out of somewhere other than the Underworld. Although that might be a bit difficult, seeing as all my weapons and keepsakes and everything are back home.

[Now that his attention has been drawn to it, Zagreus spots the dog and grins with delight. There's a dog! He must pet it. He walks over to it with confidence and holds out a hand for the dog to sniff.] Look at him! He's like a miniature Cerberus. Hey, boy--or is it girl?--who's a good dog? It's you! You're the good dog. Yes you are.

[At the other god's next words, though, Zagreus turns quickly to look at him. This is usually the part where Thanatos vanishes and he doesn't know when he'll see him again.]

Of course I have a lot of questions. But--wait, Than, don't go. Please.

[inevitablerest]

[That realisation coming out of Zagreus' mouth is like a cold knife. Thanatos knows it, but hearing it spoken so plainly isn't eased by that fact. He can't leave, he can't...

He's lost so much by being drawn here, and he's tried hard not to sink into resentment over it. It would have been easy to, but what benefit would it have had? His familiar reacts to the fussing in much the same way any dog would, but unlike Cerberus enjoys all three of its heads being petted and leans into the affection with enthusiasm and much tail-wagging.

When Zagreus turns around, Thanatos is still there. He's still there, with his arms loosely folded and his gaze settled on his familiar, who is making a complete fool of itself to get Zagreus' attention.

Then he looks up, his eyes widening just slightly.]

Tch. [Then he looks away, frowning.] I couldn't if I wanted to.

[bloodandlife]

[Zagreus feels terrible for feeling relieved, given the look on Thanatos' face. But he is relieved. For once, he doesn't have to worry that at any moment his friend might suddenly flee from him.

...ah. Now, isn't that a bit of irony? Hmm. He pets at the dog's heads absently, his full attention on the other god.]

...well, at least we're stuck here together, now. Could be worse, right? It can't have been easy for you, alone here without your family or your work. I can't hope to make up for all of that, but...I am here, for what it's worth. And if there's anyone you can trust to find a way to escape, it's certainly me.

[He tries a small smile, although once the words are out of his mouth he thinks maybe that might just remind Thanatos of his own abrupt departure. ...whoops.]

[inevitablerest]

[It's still a possibility, but the lack of teleportation makes it infinitely harder. The pressing desire to remove himself from a situation that makes him uncomfortable makes Thanatos' skin itch... or maybe that's just the fabric on his arms?]

I'm sure you think you're being reassuring. [He replies dryly, his expression set in the slightly imperious look that Zagreus knows so well.

As if he needed to be reminded.]

Follow me, then. There are carriages at the top of the cliffs.

[bloodandlife]

[Zagreus sighs. Somehow, he can never figure out what the right thing is to say to Thanatos anymore. It's silly, honestly, for how long they've known each other. But things seem different now than they used to, and although Zagreus knows the most recent reason is his own doing, he thinks it started before that.

For now, he just follows along up the path, having no idea what a carriage is but excited to find out.]

I know you said this isn't the surface, but it looks similar, at least from what little I've seen of both places. Is the sun really this bright there, too? I can see why you're not its biggest fan.

[inevitablerest]

It looks similar. [He agrees.

The same brightness, the same bustling noise. He'd never really thought much about the sun being warm and the wind being chilly but he supposes that must be true of the surface he knows as well. But its looks are where the similarities end as far as Thanatos is concerned.

He takes the lead in moving towards the narrow path up the cliffs with the three-headed dog moving in close behind Zagreus, almost as if herding him to follow. Thanatos stays silent for a short while, concentrating on his steps (and he's sure that seeing him walking like this is a novel thing, too).]

As you've already astutely observed, I have none of my power here. [They are half way up the path before he speaks again, the wind carrying his words back over his shoulder.]

But it isn't only that. Avalon gifts its own magic in return for what it takes, though it's a pale comparison to what we had.

[bloodandlife]

[It is strange to see Thanatos not just walking, but picking his way carefully along the trail. Zagreus somewhat regrets letting him take the lead, because as it turns out, when Thanatos walks instead of floating, he's awfully slow. (At least, by comparison to what Zag's used to.) But at least the leisurely pace gives him a chance to look around and process things.]

None at all? What about your scythe? Wait. Are we...are we mortal here?

[He looks down at his own feet again. Not burning, but he's certainly not dead. (Currently. Yet.)]

What kind of magic does it gift? And what's the point of all this, anyway? What does this place want from us?

[inevitablerest]

[He's aware of the pace he's setting. Getting used to this hasn't been easy, and having to walk everywhere is by and large one of the smaller things that he had to deal with. He can feel Zagreus hovering behind him but there is a good reason he decided to place him between himself and his familiar.]

My scythe is here. Just not with me at the moment. [Thanatos declines to say that this is because right now he can't wield it well enough for it to be worth carrying.]

The magic varies from person to person. You'll learn more about it soon enough.

[While not quite winded, by the time they reach the top it's evidently taken something out of Thanatos and he pauses both to allow Zagreus past him and to take a moment to gather himself.]

Over there. You can ask your questions and retrieve any belongings. [He waits for a moment, expectantly, then he adds;]

... I will wait here.

gonna handwave the familiar for now til I decide on one...

[bloodandlife]

[Zagreus isn't sure whether Thanatos read his hesitation in his face or just decided to preempt the question, but either way, he nods.]

See you in a few minutes, then.

[It takes...more than a few minutes, because Zagreus has a lot of questions. A decent number of them aren't even about anything specific to this world--this Archimedes fellow speaks as though Zag should already know all kinds of things, like what a 'horse' is and why it only has one head.

By the time he gets back to Thanatos, he's significantly more armed than he was when he left, carrying the Stygian Blade and with Coronacht slung over his shoulder. He's also got his lyre slung over his other shoulder, which is a bit inconveniently large for carrying like this, but what other choice does he have?

He sets it down carefully.]

All right. I've heard enough for now. It's...a lot to take in. I suspect I'll still have questions once we get to the city, but--wait. You are coming to the city with me, aren't you?

fair!

[inevitablerest]

[And Thanatos waits just as he said he would. By the time Zagreus returns he's seated cross-legged in the grass with two of his familiar's heads in his lap while the other watches the birds swooping down towards the ocean surface. It solves the issue of not having enough hands for petting at least.

He gives the lyre a look (since when did Zagreus own a lyre?) and then moves his attention upwards.]

You seem overly worried I'm just going to leave you without notice. [Guilty conscience? Ah, there he goes being bitter again. He lightly scratches behind one of the dogs ears.] Yes, I'm coming with you. They won't leave for a while so you might as well get comfortable.

[bloodandlife]

[Zagreus had folded up the blanket to carry under one arm; now, it serves as something to sit on, as he spreads it out on the ground nearby. He lies back to sprawl on it and look up at the sky. Waiting is...not his favorite thing, but at least Thanatos is here and there's a dog. He turns his head toward them.]

It's not like that, Than. I'm just...used to you being so busy. You rarely have the time to sit and chat like this, always having to go and attend to your responsibilities.

[He reaches out a hand and runs it through the green stuff on the ground. What's it called, again? Right, grass.]

I always thought grass would be softer than this.

[inevitablerest]

You know my job is important.

[If he isn't there, people don't die. But something he learned very quickly here is that without needing to attend to those at the end of their mortal lives he suddenly has a great deal of free time. Time in which he can simply... do what he wants to do.

It's been hard to find ways to fill the hours. Thanatos shakes his head, though it isn't entirely clear what the gesture is aimed at.]

It's softer further inland. The salt in the air here makes it like this. [He closes his eyes, turns his face slightly upwards towards the bright sky and sighs.] There are trees, too. And flowers. Birds. I suppose I do have the time to show you, don't I.

[bloodandlife]

Of course I know that. I would never hold it against you. I only meant...that it's nice, don't you think? To be able to spend a little more time together, talk a bit more? It's been a long time since we had that.

[Zagreus runs his hand idly through the grass, listening. Trees--he knows those, he thinks, from his mother's garden. And he's imported some flowers into the House before, partially to give Nyx something nice to look at and partially just to annoy his father. That third thing, he's not sure about. But he smiles.]

I suppose you do. I'd like that. Er...but what are birds, exactly?

[inevitablerest]

... Mm.

[Thanatos frowns again, and this time it's nothing that Zagreus did particularly... but more the noise of his own thoughts. He's right of course. They never really do get the chance to talk like this and although Thanatos would not take the blame for that, he can't deny that his dedication to his work is a large part of the distance between them.]

Those. [The birds. He points to where seagulls are circling and swooping over the water and beach below the cliffs.] There are different kinds, but they are birds.

[He leans back on his hands, shaking his head.]

Sometimes I forget how little you've seen.

[bloodandlife]

[Well, that sure was a non-response. Zagreus isn't sure at all how to take that, so he decides not to respond. Which is much easier once Thanatos distracts him with these flying things...he sits up and squints at the gulls.]

Birds...ha, look at them go! They're like bats, but...not. I wonder why the Underworld has some animals, like bats and fish, but not others?

[He glances over to Thanatos and smiles.]

Very little, but I don't mind. It means there's a whole world of new and exciting things out there for me to discover. Which apparently I can actually do, now that it appears I'm not going to keel over any minute.

[inevitablerest]

[He hates these conflicting feelings. He hates the fact he can't escape them even more, and that he still itches to just vanish. No one can make him argue within himself quite in the same way as Zagreus can. It's one of the things that makes him so terribly frustrating.]

I'm not the one to ask why anything lives there. [Nothing ever really dies there in any permanent way. Not his problem.]

But do make sure you don't go off doing anything to recklessly get yourself killed. It isn't the same here, and I won't be able to help you.

[Not strictly true, and Thanatos would give up anything to Morganna le Fey to bring Zagreus back, but he'd rather not have to resort to it.]

[bloodandlife]

[The thought of dying permanently, especially in some mysterious realm that's apparently not connected to either the Underworld or the surface that he knows, is a sobering one. What would happen to his soul if he died here? But...]

Don't worry about me, Thanatos. Surely, without Father's hordes of delightfully violent shades looking for a fight, I won't have much to be reckless about. Unless, of course, escaping this place involves fighting off something equally bloodthirsty.

[inevitablerest]

[He says 'don't worry about me' as if it's a choice that he allows Thanatos to make. The line of his jaw tenses for a moment and his fingers curl against the grass, snapping a few of the finer strands.]

Yes, of course.

[Somehow, he's sure that Zagreus will manage to find the biggest, ugliest thing in this place to throw himself against. Thanatos falls silent again. His silence has never been anything personal. Simply how he chooses to organise his thoughts.]

Zagreus-- [The name slips out before he can stop it, and now... well, now he has his attention doesn't he. He still segues away from what he almost says.] When last we spoke, I was harsh with you. You should know it isn't because I don't understand what you're trying to achieve.

[bloodandlife]

[Zagreus' brows lift in surprise. He honestly hadn't expected to hear anything like this.]

I appreciate it, Than. But as you so pointedly made me aware, I wasn't exactly the most communicative about all this, either. I don't regret what I'm doing. But I do wish circumstances had been different.

God he's such a child I'm sorry about him

[inevitablerest]

[It could be that he's just that glad to see the other god here. Or maybe it's all that time he's had to think. Without his work he's had more time to mull things over in the past few weeks than he can remember having in centuries.

He shakes his head.]

It wouldn't have taken a moment to speak with me before you took off. [Yes, he is still angry about that, and he can say it bluntly because it costs him nothing to do so.] Or was I to simply hear it from Nyx or Achilles, or your father.

lmao ilu thanatos

[bloodandlife]

[Yep. Still upset. Zagreus frowns.]

That's not how I wanted it to happen. But you were away for so long, and I...couldn't wait, not knowing when you would return. I wanted to tell you. I thought...that when I made it out, I'd see you on the surface somewhere, and it would be just like this.

[But did he think that before or after he started? He can't remember.]