TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 8

[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 ⚔️️ SUMMARY: New arrivals drop into the lake and have to climb up a cliff to the Rent a Ride, where they are given their device and some headphones and can retrieve their personal materials. They travel to Camelot, which is a multiple day journey, so they stop at the Red Springs along the way and stay at an inn there. 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 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, helping to rescue any wayward travelers who look like they're struggling in the water. This month's helpers are giant pillow jellies, a species of jellyfish that is capable of ballooning itself at the surface to create bouncy pads for characters to hop across to the shore, should they choose or not be able to swim. They come in a variety of bioluminescent colors, but do not seem to be very talkative even to animal magic users. Those who try may find themselves being ignored, even if they hear the jellies talking amongst themselves about this and that. If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. 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. (Though.. given how hot and muggy the weather is this first week, maybe you might want to ask him to toss you right back into the lake where the waters are still cool.) *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 ear buds (the supplier was out of the regular ones) 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. SUMMARY: Merlin has a Plan B in case Camelot failed the trials: raise a sunken ship and offer it to the Elphame Traders on their way out in exchange for permission to travel their waters. Characters prepare for ritual magic to raise a sunken ship and travel underwater at the empty Camelot docks to gather ritual ingredients for it. After they've done all they can, Merlin sets up a little beach party with a bit of master magic for anyone who came along for the trip. After arriving, people may have heard about recent events-- the people of Camelot voted against war and to instead accept the trials of the people of Celliwig. The trials are now concluded, and a good number of people are emotionally exhausted and taking time to recover. Word from Celliwig has not yet arrived, but across multiple social media platforms, including AOL, there are clips of Merlin's cryptic addendum to Arthur's announcement along with notes that the meeting date was delayed a couple of days due to the awful weather and a need to rest after how bleak the trials were to some people. With people down and out, it won't hurt to have the new arrivals pitch in and learn a thing or two. "Lucky me, we've got a decent group. Celliwig's out of our hands now, but what isn't is a back-up plan. Vote was close enough I figured we'd have enough people to get a head start. Celliwig is closer and much less dangerous to deal with, we'd be able to communicate much faster with the faeries' queendom. They're not big on internet. Big followers of the Old Ways. T-L-D-R, we can't just text the queen and ask if drop-bys are on the table. We'd never make it past the leviathans without permission, so here's the plan: There is a... fixer-upper of a vessel sunken about a hundred yards from shore tossed out from Bermuda. We tried to build docks here forever ago, but you can guess the Bermuda triangle spitting out stuff in the lake all the time didn't go great. We just keep it up for visitors now, but there's plenty to explore in the immediate area that we can magic back into business." A ⦿ Shipwreckers He goes on to explain that the fairies value items that were once lost and refound, so step one is exploring the shipwreck with fellow magic users to find what amounts to a scavenger hunt list of items from the ship. He sets everyone off with a quick spell that essentially transforms their clothing into swimsuits that best fit their preferences and personality-- that means no one's going to get a swimsuit that makes them horribly uncomfortable, he's not harassing anyone. After that, magicians will be directed to use their magic to get down to the ship. It's not as convenient as underwater breathing and not as easily sustainable, but there's definitely different ways to go about it. Light magic users will find they can create a forcefield above the surface of the water and go under the water, though they may run out of oxygen quickly. Elemental users can find they can create a similar bubble by pushing water out of the way, though may run into the same diminishing air without a more advanced elemental user already in the game who can pull oxygen out of the water or an alchemist who can create chemical reactions to generate oxygen. Animal mages may be able to convince local lake life to help push bubbles along, and healers will be instrumental in healing oxygen deprivation if anyone stays under too long! (Note: If two characters can't create a bubble, you can put in a third NPC to do the bubble while your characters handle other roles during the search.) No matter what, make sure you bring someone who can watch your back. Rumors have it that the Fuath are harassing anything that comes near the area. Fuath are intangible spirits that may present as giant humanoids at about 8-9 feet each, but with the mane and tail of a yellow horse, with no noses and keen eyes. They hold grudges against anyone who takes advantage of their surroundings, even if not their own, and will come to attempt to throw those who try to take from the ships and flying through the air to land somewhere else in the water. Be very cautious about using names around the Fuath, as though they do not speak in human tongue, they have a particular ability to draw people and animals in using names that makes them very difficult to escape once you've been found. They've been known to turn familiars against their partners. They can be deterred, dissipated through attack to buy you time, but they'll keep coming so get in and out of the ship as fast as you can and definitely stick to more combat-heavy magics like dark and cognitive mages! *Note: These magics are all examples of ways to use primary magic, but feel free to get creative with your character's magic if you think of something else! B ⦿ Hoist the Flags Once all the ingredients are gathered, the ritual is underway! With the mementos from the ship, swim to a protective circle formed at the top of the water by Merlin that will keep the Fuath out. There, you need to take whatever item you gathered from the ship and try to find someone with a similar item. This "sister" item will allow you to pull the essence of the item up from the ship. It takes a load of people to raise a whole ship, but pouring your magic into the item and chanting the spell will cause the ship to resurface and restore itself to its original state before the crash, using residual memories from all the different items on the ship. Of course, finding a partner with a matching item while swimming around could be a challenge, especially if you don't get along-- it may take a while for everyone to get on the same page. It certainly won't clean up all the algae and kelp and wayward flopping fish, it brings the ship back to a livable state.. and a much cooler, more explorable one. Get a quick exploration of the ship and help clean up some of the lake slime before Merlin flags over the traders. Or goof around until then, and learn a sick free spell called (Recipe) Cool Firework: create a rocket firework from your fingertips. Make sure you're aiming it into the sky when you cast this spell, or Merlin will set off a Camelot totem right beneath your feet. No sinking the ship when they just got it up. The fireworks will attract the Elphame Traders, who are leaving the day after they close up shop to head back to Elphame, before the set out to leave. Merlin negotiates offering the ship to them as an offering for Queen Elphame to give them permission to travel in the Elphame territory. At that point, the ship is pulled into the docks and Camelot citizens are ushered out for the fae traders to take over the ship. C ⦿ Beach Episode Once everything's said and done it.. really only took a couple of hours, so the whole group is done around 4pm. There's plenty of time left for dinner and a good time at the beach a short walk away from the docks and the sun doesn't go down until around 9pm. Before Merlin leaves everyone to themselves, he conjures up a buffet-style table with loads of fresh food and drink, watermelons and bats for smashing. The swimsuits provided earlier wear off at midnight, though you'll probably want to leave before then since it still gets chilly in the evening, especially if you're all wet from playing with the chest full of waterguns or the beach balls distributed around the beach. The docks are nearby, so feel free to call your friends over to come hang out with you, even if they didn't help. It's a beach party, enjoy it! SUMMARY: Unseelie faeries and unseemly humans have teamed up to kidnap a small number of otherworlders in the chaos of the trials to fight in an underground fight ring. Play as a victim or be part of the squad to put an end to it if you're more good-leaning, or villains can choose to participate as audience and pay for "gifts" to be given to their favorite fighters during matches. CW: These prompts contain kidnapping, illegal and forced fighting, and inhumane treatment of fighters. Just because people are tired doesn't mean that the world stops for them... crime certainly doesn't. Throughout the start of the month, people are going missing. Exactly what's happening.. well, finding the truth out about that is going to depend on your perspective. A ⦿ Cursed Kidnapees Kidnapping victims will find themselves suddenly blinded by a spell, and then chloroformed by a floating cloth pressed against their face. (Smart kidnappers don't touch their victims if they have magic, you know!) When they wake up, they'll find themselves in a dungeon with at least a dozen other people. There's definitely not room to lay down, and sitting down as you had been propped up immediately starts you with a potentially uncomfortable view. Don't worry, someone's peeks in from a window at the top of the room-- an extremely handsome-looking man with long, wavy hair and pupils slitted like a cat's. "Let's see.. You two, you'll be the first fight of the night. Winner gets dinner, gyahaha!" It's a fighting ring. You've been kidnapped into a fighting ring and there's no obvious escape! Fight against fellow captives and monsters for your dinner and to buy time to figure out what you're going to do... At least you start hand to hand, so there's nothing lethal... right? (See Audience for more details.) B ⦿ Audacious Audience Maybe you're a less scrupulous sort and saw an invitation to this event hidden on the dark web, or got invited by a particularly sketchy friend. Either way, you've got cage-side seats close enough to chat with either fellow audience members or interact with the cage fighters. As a bonus point, audience members can spend some of their G on betting or on purchasing "boons" for their favorite fighters, such as weapons or enhancement spells. They can also bid against other audience members for special sabotages that make it harder to fight-- foot weights, strange masks, roller skates, hinderance hexes.. get creative with it! It's the biggest fight show that you can interact with your wallet... newbies may find it's a very lucrative way to make a pretty penny very fast. (As always, remember to communicate with anyone you're helping/sabotaging so you don't go past anyone's OOC comfort level.) C ⦿ Roaring Rescuers Thankfully, the fae who want nothing more than to sow discord and the greedy humans who joined in their venture are a bit disorganized. Even the beginning-level heroes among us will be able to track them down and topple them with a little bar hopping to gather information from the locals. Eventually, one of them will give up having overheard some "scary looking fellows" talking about which of the patrons of the bar looked like they'd be good in a fight before getting extra hush-hush. Follow all the leads, and you'll find yourself at an outlying, smaller-scale castle with a dungeon tower and an underground fighting ring built beneath its floors. Sneak in and unlock individual fighter dungeon doors while the fights are providing a wealth of distraction. Maybe you'll find a grateful Fogueria who casts a temporary fire-immunity spell on you to allow you to do ride them into battle to bust up the fight going on right now. There's definitely gratitude going on, regardless of moral compass, and you may find gifts of food and drink (non-alcoholic if you're not old enough) placed at your door over the next week for your deeds. 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. • We are testing out formats for key points displays, to be voted on for player preference based on what seems to work best for the most people. The other options were used here (end of post summary format) and here (start of post preview format). The format featured on this post is the last option, which will provide small summaries under the banner of each prompt set. A poll will be put up before the next event to see which format will be used going forward, so please keep in the back of your mind which seems most comfortable/makes the content more easily accessible. •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.

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Horus | The God of Calamity Wishes for Naught

[hor]

A. Soaking in Your Arrival
[ Falling through the sky on its own is stranger than fiction. He's used to the wind rushing past his ears, the sharp chill of wind reddening his cheeks. But that's moving forward, up-- not down. Not falling. A sky god doesn't fall from the sky he's intended to rule. It's not a graceful landing and the annoyed look on his face as he rises up above the water says as much.

--Wait, rises up? Reaching up to push his soaked blue-tinted bangs out of his eyes, he blinks in surprise a few times as he sees the large jellyfish. Egypt has its fair share of jellies in the nearby seas, but none were as large or friendly, and it's a brief moment of confusion that allows Horus to take in the world around him, letting the jelly take him to the shore once he moves to seat himself more properly. Rests his forearm on a propped up knee, one leg over the edge of the jelly's cap, and keeps his multicolored eyes on the shore, only straying to look at the falcon that lands on his shoulder as if it were only natural. (The falcon is more familiar than the jelly, for certain.)

He gathers himself to a standing position, hopping off of the jelly and onto the shore in about a foot of water, about as deep as the jelly is willing to go so it doesn't get beached. The two wings spread out and he shakes them a couple of times to disperse any residual water before they seem to all but disappear, leaving his back bare flesh. He looks to the hawk again. He doesn't know this hawk, but it seems familiar.

The hawk can fly. Clearly before was just a fluke. He was caught off guard, closer to the water than he had time to gain lift. Horus rather determinedly runs up the stairs and to the top of the cliff. This reminds him of when he was first learning to use them, getting a running start before trying to lift off. Except he's no child anymore, so now that he's away from the water, he runs toward the edge of the cliff, wings out again, and... the hawk flies up above him, landing on the cliff's edge while he plummets down right into the Cliff Beast's palm. Though if you aren't watching, this may have very alarmingly looked like this short, braided-haired and gold-clad boy just took a dive and an undignified scream off a cliff. ]

B. Caravan
[ There are a good many things Horus hasn't even started to understand that were gone over before the carriages left, mostly centered around the internet and the phones. He would learn them eventually, but for now they sat on his seat in the carriage, untouched and unutilized. He was squatted before the minibar, slowly taking out and examining every nip bottle. ]

These look like no beer or wine I've ever seen. Are they worthwhile?

[ What's a tequila? And what's with these small bottles, they're such an underwhelming offering... ]

C. Hoist the Flags (CW: Ancient Egyptian swimsuits don't exist, but it's all underwater so don't worry about it.)
[ Horus has been swimming about, gathering items, and is going around with a very friendly face and a little too small an understanding of personal space trying to find his match. More than once, he finds someone and places a hand on their shoulder while at their side. ]

Have you met your match yet?

[ He smiles softly.. and holds up a tarnished silver dining platter that he found in the captain's quarters. It's cloudy as can be and heavily scratched, but it's still clear what it is. He definitely meant did anyone else find a dining platter, not implying he's your match, but Horus is a little forward sometimes. ]

D. Wildcard
[ I'm cool with any prompt, hmu if you wanna chat about it first! ]

b because apparently i just like inflicting awful people on others

[floralisse]

( a phone with internet means she's got access to a whole world of information, most of which is probably more relevant to her situation than all the sad, world's tiniest violin shit they're spewing out as this carriage trundles along. (seriously, how do you create social media and not competent transport). so far, everything looks pretty much identical to the kinds of things she'd see and download at home.

which means there's probably a way to access all the shady shit too.

it takes a little bit of work — admittedly, the tech shit really was more a Rose thing — but she's soon flicking through dark web sites, finding them to be just as unhinged as the usual shit back where she used to live. most of it is useless, but occasionally, someone will talk about things that might just prove useful.

and then, sometimes, you come across a shitty visual art project and roll your eyes, letting the screaming wash over you as some blue haired pretty boy's mouth starts moving in your direction.

Calanthe sighs and removes an earbud. )

What?

i can't promise he won't be into it

[hor]

[ Oh, she must be hard of hearing. Not knowing what the earbud even does, Horus raises his voice so she can hopefully hear him better. Too bad he isn't a healer, he could help. ]

What beer is this? Ours comes in jars in my land.

(':

[floralisse]

( well, now everyone in the carriage can certainly hear him, no? Calanthe takes a better look at the bottle, resting her elbows on her thighs as she folds forwards. )

Tequila. I hear it's lethal.

( of course, people overexaggerate the meaning of lethal. but, unfortunately for this man, she's heard something interesting, and her visible eye gleams at the details dropped at her feet. )

Where are you from? I've never seen a beer jar.

[hor]

Egypt. It's very different.

[ He holds he tequila up to the light as if examining it further, but there's both not much extra light between the weather and there's not much else to see. ]

It seems odd our welcoming entourage would poison us instead of simply tossing us off the cliff were that their intention.

[ Well, at least he's not entirely gullible. ]

[floralisse]

( well, she's learned something new today. there's likely more to that story, but for now...

well. the dark web can wait. she's got something fun right here. )

I hear sadists prefer to draw out their victims' pain. ( a bright smile, laughter bubbling on her tongue. okay, no, she won't draw this out. ) —It's just very strong alcohol.

[hor]

That much is true.

[ He lets out a laugh, as if the very idea is something amusing to him. It is and it isn't. His family is complicated, and Horus is sure some people will consider him a sadist in the days to come, with just how long he intends to prolong a certain someone's suffering. That's not his intent, though. ]

I would say it best not to try in the company of strangers in that case, but I'm afraid I seem to have lost everyone else.

[ He picks up another one and holds it out to her. ] A taste?

A but with a twist

[suetekh]

[It's gross and muggy. Another realization that he's coming upon is that human bodies have terrible temperature control apparently. So he decides to go to the lake to cool down, not really thinking about the fact that this is when people start showing up. Timing has never been something Set's very talented at nor is being helpful. People have questions and he just tells them to climb the stairs. It isn't like he can explain any of this any better. Kratos had told him that sometimes you just needed to help people who looked like they needed it but Set doesn't think he can do this well. Going on the caravan is the only real way that will help them.

But when Set sees Horus (not knowing who it is at all) jumping off the cliff, he just reacts. Set doesn't plan. Set doesn't know how to plan and maybe he should because he's learned about the protective magic that comes along with healing but he's been trying to get it right for three months now and been completely unable to do so. It's nothing less than a miracle that he's able to make it work now, shielding Horus' body from most of the brunt of the fall. When he goes underwater, Set swims down to help to scoop him up, holding onto him and keep him afloat in case anything did break despite the protection. He helps them swim to shore, scowling.

Also he only has his kilt on and that's about it.]

What kind of idiot are you?

[hor]

[ This is one of those moments in time that Horus is fairly certain is something of a teaching moment. Not because he's just taken a fall off of a cliff because he had faith that his wings should work as intended, but that there are in fact moments exactly out of a romantic storyteller's mouth. The kind of thing that Auntie Nephthys would swoon about.

Well, Nephthys certainly wouldn't swoon about this person in particular. And the dialogue could use some work. What does he mean what kind of idiot-- he knows exactly what kind of idiot they both are. Horus sighs and rests his head against Set's chest for just a moment (it's a rare opportunity), then gives him a brief pat to the pec with a free hand before standing up properly, the gold he's wearing is heavier than it should be even in the waer, but nothing he can't handle. ]

Assuming my natural being should work as intended is no act of idiocy.

[ At least Horus understands what he's doing here now. If Set is here, then Horus must come as well. That's how destiny works, isn't it? He doesn't realize that there's no recognition just yet. ]

What are you doing here?

[suetekh]

[If Set had any common sense then he would notice how this young man has the same coloring as Horus and wonder what could be up with that. But as Horus knows, Set's intelligence level is abysmally low. From what he knows, Horus hasn't even been born. He should be an infant, if anything at all, so he has no reason to think this person could be Horus.

Instead what he wonders about is how affectionate this person is, how they talk so casually to him, and touch him like this. Set frowns down at him, confused.]

You don't make any sense. Did the initial fall do something to your head? [It's the only thing that makes any sense to Set at all. Maybe this person has him confused for someone else.

As he stands up straight, moving to wring out the water in his hair, he speaks up:] I can't explain it well but the point is that you're not home, wherever that may be. You're in a different world. Probably. [Set has no idea if maybe people already from this world could be going through this, too? He hasn't paid close attention to that part.

But even he can notice that how Horus is dressed is very familiar, as if...]

Are you Egyptian?

[hor]

A different world shouldn't stop my wings from worki-- ing..

[ He trails off when he realizes that Set just asked if he's Egyptian. Is he Egyptian? Is he Egyptian? Were he less sharp of a tack, he probably would've been offended instead of realizing this for what it was: Set didn't know who he was. Well, he did look less tired now than he normally did. Perhaps it's not the time on the beach. Perhaps he's younger? After what happened to Ra, it shouldn't surprise anyone that age is malleable, but his memories don't seem to include Horus either.

He didn't know he was Horus, or Egyptian, and he still saved him. What a lie he's been fed his entire life that this man is some kind of monster. Horus pulls a smile to his face and moves to stand on his own properly, turning his back to Set. He reaches up to remove the earrings from his ears- something he knows Set will recognize if he has too long to observe him. He wears them, after all, specifically to get at the older man. But right now, they need to stay hidden, and so he slips them inside of his clothing for safekeeping. Anyone who isn't Horus shouldn't have Osiris's things, and just because he's a good man doesn't mean he's not an aggressive one. A man who loves a bull knows not to push him into the potter's workshop. ]

I am. I'm a god, like you, Lord Set.

[ Not calling him uncle would take some work, but Horus is nothing if not dedicated. This is perhaps his only chance to get to know Set without their "destiny" getting in the way. Maybe he'll call him a liar later, but.. ]

Call me Anubis.

[ ...Anubis would definitely forgive him, it's fine. He'll understand. ]

[suetekh]

[Nobody would ever claim Set was a brilliant mind and that shows itself now, as he takes this story and believes it (even if Horus' coloring should really ring more bells). If anything, he's a little happy to know that he isn't alone. Somebody else that knows him, is like him, is here. There are other gods but they are not Egyptian, not like him, and there's differences.

And now, even if he doesn't realize what this feeling is, it's obvious that he has been feeling lonely and homesick. Something he never thought could happen.]

I...didn't think that there would be anybody else from my world that would be here. Anubis? I've never met you or heard of you. You didn't oppose me taking the throne. [Or else he would have been dead, which was what happened to the gods who had argued Set's right to the throne.]

[hor]

Some gods' work is in the world beyond, not by your side. I'm the protector lost souls and the hopeless, guide for the dead. Though you look younger than I remember you, too. Almost like you haven't been king for nearing two decades.

[ It's a load of crap in terms of who Horus is, but at the very least, it gives him an excuse to know of godly matterings and his family. And he knows Anubis well enough that he won't mix up the information, even if he's sure it'll wear on him in terms of his own homesickness later. At the very least, it won't get him attacked and outed for trying to touch Set's chest if Set thinks he's a commoner or a human. Because he sure won't take it lying down, and there's only one person who can stand up to Set like that.

He clasps his hands together. ]

I've heard enough from both sides to know I shouldn't judge you by my mother's opinions, Lord Set.

Caravan

[bendless]

[Sokka had been to the Beach to try and find Suki just in case she had just been sent back for a moment and now he was going to travel with the Caravan to return to Camelot. Somehow he ended up in the same carriage as Horus. He had tried to find a possibly empty one to sulk on his own. But he should have known he wouldn't be that lucky.

Someone going through the minibar is a throwback to his arrival here though.]

I haven't tried any kind, so I wouldn't know.

[hor]

[ Then there is only one way to find out. Horus grabs a couple more of the tiny bottles and moves to sit beside Sokka. ]

Then as new friends on a journey, let us try them together. You look like you need it.

[bendless]

[He's about to say he's underage, but when he says he looks like he needs it he realizes he doesn't care. Maybe it would make him feel a bit more numb.]

Sure, why not. Gotta try new things every once in a while, right?

[hor]

[ Horus is from Ancient Egypt. Six is old enough where he's from, and beyond that, Horus's views on age are skewed from being a god. ]

That's the spirit. [ He opens two of them and holds one out to Sokka. ] Tell me your name, I'll learn it better before we drink.

[bendless]

[He just hopes it taste better than the vodka he was offered before. At least it smells different... still not the most delicious though.]

Sokka. What about yours?

[hor]

Anubis.

[ He doesn't particularly want to lie to him about it, but he saw Set earlier and now the fib is set in motion. Perhaps if they become close he'll explain. But for now, he'll use his dear friend and cousin's name.

His mom like, taught humans how to make beer so one of these days he'll have to show Sokka a decent drink. Not like this tiny, very strong bottles.]

Any idea what a "Fireball" is or shall we simply find out?

A

[leicesters]

[Claude had been curious when he'd heard there would be new arrivals, wondering if perhaps this month he'd run into more familiar faces. He gets something else entirely, however -- someone who looks like perhaps an ambitious user of animal magic (or just a very, very confused new arrival) spreading their wings and taking a dive off the cliff.]

Hey, wait--! [Claude runs to the edge of the cliff to try to stop him, but it's way too late. He looks over the edge and breathes a sigh of relief when he sees the Cliff Beast caught him.]

Are you okay?!

[hor]

[ He stands up as the Cliff Beast puts him back where he jumped off, looking over at Claude. Oh, he's not bad. Certainly not Egyptian, if he had to guess. Mysterious foreigner, hm? He smiles. ]

All but my dignity, yes.

[ The wings behind him flutter twice, shaking any excess sand off before folding against his back and disappearing as if they were never there to begin with, leaving him looking rather human. ]

Where am I?

[leicesters]

[On the other hand, it hasn't escaped Claude's notice that the guy's manner of dress is reminiscent of a certain someone, but he doesn't bring it up just yet. It could be a coincidence, after all.

He watches the wings vanish with interest before focusing back on his face.]

Avalon. Long story short, your world is in trouble, so you've been brought here to help save it. Don't go throwing yourself off any more cliffs in a hurry when you're needed, all right?

[hor]

[ The wings are a part of his biology, though they don't always show. Egyptian gods have their own little sets of animal parts that are there constantly as children, then as adults they can pull them out when they want to.. or they pop out if they're tired or stressed or too relaxed.. ]

What kind of world stunts the flight of a god it seeks help from? [ It wasn't like he was jumping off to harm himself, he intended to fly up and get a lay of the land... :( Is he even a sky god if he can't fly... ]

[leicesters]

The same kind of world that enlists the help of a dashing wyvern rider like myself, only for the wyvern to be... well...

[He points up at his familiar, a white wyvern circling some ways overhead that is barely larger than a housecat or small dog.]

You get the idea. What kind of god are you, anyway?

[hor]

[ It is so strange not to be known. The wyvern will have a visitor not moment's later in the form of a falcon swooping by it, as if trying to determine whether or not it's food at such a size... (Thankfully, it decides a wyvern is not.)

His question is a little more complex than he knows he's asking, if only because Horus is in debate with himself right now exactly who he intends to be compared to who everyone else is decided he must. But at least one title is true. ]

The sky.

[ At least that should clear up why he definitely thought he should be able to fly.. He leaves his other titles unspoken. War, kings. Neither of which he's earned yet, only titles he's been told he will become since he was old enough to speak. ]

It does look a little small to ride, Wyvern Rider.