groundrules | applications

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applications

applications

APPLICATIONS

Eastbound is primarily an invite-only game — each existing player can currently invite up to one person per month, or get in touch about further invites. Existing players can hold two characters in game. A third character can be applied, if players can prove they have met activity requirements for two consecutive months with their existing two characters and have stayed engaged with the game. If you don't have an invite, somehow stumbled upon this neck of the woods, and you’d like to stay, drop the mod journal a line — we'll try to figure it out.

As of Oct. 1, cast/game caps are off. Please note, as of Dec. 1, Eastbound only has 3-4 months of gameplay left.

WHAT CHARACTERS CAN BE APPLIED?

YES: canon and original characters, if they have a solid and consistent personality and background. Characters brought in after they've died are a-okay. For characters taken from a time point just as they're in the process of dying, please read below on meeting medical requirements.

NO (at this time): real people, original characters set in a canon environment, characters from canons or canon instalments that have been released for less than one month, characters with imported development from other games (CRAU), alternate universe, or gender-swapped versions of canon characters.

Children or characters with very specific medical/magical/environment needs: appable, but please make a note of how your character will ICly meet their requirements and stay alive. Likewise, if you are applying for a character taken just as they're dying, provide a suggestion for how they can be kept alive on arrival (this might be easier in some app cycles than others). You can bend the world a little to make miracles happen (ex: a substitute for the medication your character needs to survive can be found for a high price at certain apothecaries, etc.)

Characters that were dropped or swept by activity checks: yes, but they’ll come back without their previous memories, if they are applied in by a different player.

APPLICATION FORM & INSTRUCTIONS

EXISTING / RETURNING PLAYERS

NEW PLAYERS

PLAYER NAME: 
CONTACT:
REFERRED BY: Who invited you, please? c:

CHARACTER: 
CANON:
CANON POINT:

BACKGROUND: written or linked history both fine. Bullet points also a-okay. If no information is available in English, please write this out in short.

ABILITIES | POWERS: Include any relevant power restrictions, so you don’t break our playground.

PERSONALITY: make sure this ties back to the character’s time point and background.

SAMPLE: one or more samples to showcase the nuances of your character’s personality. Submit at least one prose sample of five comments or more. You can link memes, PSL or other game threads, provided they took place within the last 12 months. You can also write a single prose sample in the game or character canon setting, if you think you can cover good introspective ground that way, or a top level with enough variety to show how the character engages in various scenarios. 
 
INVENTORY: No world-breaking items. For living or magical beings, or anything colossal (think... Gundams...) please let's talk beforehand!

SUITABILITY: Eastbound is a plot-heavy game that typically features sleuthing, action and the undead. How is your character likely to deal with all that (and the game bear)?

NOTES: Are there any particular accommodations your character will need? How do you propose to handle that?

APPLICATIONS CLOSED

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Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

That's correct, just 'Alayne' is fine! I might (accidentally) slip into calling her Sansa during plot or other notes, but please assume she'll always be known as Alayne publicly, until/unless she introduces herself otherwise.

I do it ALL the time, it doesn't matter in the least! Even her inner-monologue changes to Sansa when she's remembering old things, so it's a freaking mess in that head. Thank you so much for a thoughtful intro, I won't let ya down, boss.

PLAYER NAME: Riddle
CONTACT:

tiger_eyes, madviolinist#5122 on Discord and tigereyes1986@yahoo.com.
HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE GAME?: I'm already in it!

CHARACTER: Achilles Peleides (Aristos Achaion)
CANON: The Song of Achilles
CANON POINT: As he is sailing to Troy.

BACKGROUND: His biography. Copy-Pasted below for easier reading:

"Achilles, known also as Aristos Achaion (best of all the Greeks) is Patroclus' best friend, lover and soulmate. He is the son of the King Peleus of Phthia and the Sea Nymph Thetis.

Achilles is a demigod, destined to gain glory and immortality in a war. Because of his mother dipping him in the River Styx as a baby, Achilles is invulnerable and resistant to injures, however, his weakness is in his heel where her hand held him whilst under the water.

Early Life

Achilles was born after the Olympic Gods convinced Peleus to force himself upon the sea nymph Thetis, who then had to stay married to him for a year. They did this due to a prophecy by Eileithyia that said that Thetis' child would become stronger than his father. The moment he was born Thetis shed her mortal clothing and dived back into the ocean, only coming back to shore to visit him occasionally.

Because of the prophecy, Achilles was trained in different aspects of fighting since birth and no one was allowed to watch him practice. He was raised by tutors and nurses overseen by Phoinix, Peleus’ most trusted counsellor. By the time Patroclus is sent to Peleus’ kingdom, Achilles is trained only by a lyre teacher and Peleus himself, although this mostly translates into him teaching himself.

Achilles' father ran an orphanage on his island for exiled sons of high ranking nobles and Kings, although Patroclus suspected that the real purpose of it was to train up soldiers for Peleus' army as they became indebted to his hospitality and catering.

Achilles is first seen during the games in King Menoetius’ kingdom at 5 years old. He wins a running race and becomes the beacon of Menoetius’ vision of a son, being the inspiration for the phrase ‘That is what a son should be.’ He is next seen when Patroclus is sent to Phthia and has to greet the Prince as King Peleus was away with business. He is seen lazily playing with a lute and is dismissive of Patroclus. Achilles first began to notice Patroclus when he was studiously ignoring him- a surprise, since no one had ever ignored him before. To gain his attention Achilles steadily began moving closer during dinner times until eventually sitting at the same table; he throws a fig towards him to gain his attention.

Achilles found Patroclus hiding in a storeroom one day, as Patroclus did not want to go to his lessons with the other boys. Patroclus, not wanting to be punished by Peleus, asked Achilles to tell his father he was with him. So, because he does not like to lie, Achilles takes Patroclus to his lessons, and after they practice on Patroclus' mother's lyre for a bit they go and see Peleus. When Achilles speaks to his father, he says he has chosen Patroclus as his therapon, and that is that. They become the best of friends.

They begin to spend more time together and Patroclus becomes the first person beyond his father to witness him fight, eventually challenging him to duel; their friendship is fast following. Nothing noteworthy happens during their childhood beyond Achilles visit’s to his mother (although the contents of which is unknown to both Patroclus and the readers).

When Achilles is thirteen his father begins to suggest for him to partake in sexual relationships with serving/slave girls however he ignores all offers and appears uncomfortable at the suggestion. Later he and Patroclus share their first kiss, a chaste peck on the lips, however he runs away back to the palace shortly thereafter.

The next time he is seen, Achilles announces that he is being sent away to Mount Pelion to train with Chiron and must leave Patroclus behind. When Patroclus awakes the next morning he has already gone. He would not return to Phthia again except for a call to war.

Mount Pelion

After Thetis sees that Patroclus kissed Achilles, she sends him to Mount Pelion to be trained by Chiron. Patroclus follows him there, despite Thetis telling Chiron that he is to be barred from seeing Achilles. Patroclus, however, follows Achilles to Mount Pelion with nothing but the clothes on his back. Achilles has been waiting at the base of the mountain in hopes that he would do so and tackles him. Chiron collects them and takes them up the mountain on his back. Chiron teaches them skills as they grow up. Thetis is angry to learn that Patroclus is there with Achilles, but she cannot see them there on the mountain. When Achilles learns this, he tells Patroclus and they kiss and have sex in the cave.

Scyros

Achilles pretends to be a woman and hides on the island of Scyros because it is what Thetis wants. She doesn't want him to go to war. When Patroclus comes for him, Achilles claims him as his husband. Thetis had forced Achilles to marry and lie with Princess Deidameia in exchange for telling Patroclus where he was, but she lied and Patroclus had to find out from Peleus. Deidameia then becomes pregnant with a child, named after Achilles, Neoptolemus or Pyrrhus."

The biography continues here. Again, I'll copy-paste it to make it easier:

"Patroclus follows Achilles to Skyros, where they live until they are discovered by Odysseus and Diomedes. Patroclus is obligated to join the war in Troy as a result of his blood oath, while Achilles joins after vowing that he will never fight Hector in order to avoid his prophesied death."

ABILITIES | POWERS: Achilles is the best warrior of the Greeks, Trojans and just about anyone else on the playing field he knows. He is swift, agile, graceful and completely mechanical when it comes to killing. No one can throw a spear as hard or fast as him; no one can bear his armor or use his sword like him. He is the son of an immortal and a mortal and the gods have blessed him with the ability to fight and kill.

I am however willing to make him vulnerable to injury since him being untouchable seems unfair. But it won't be easy to get the best of him and he will certainly seek revenge after.

On a lesser note, he is a gifted musician (on the lyre) and his voice is said to be hauntingly beautiful too.

PERSONALITY: First and foremost, Achilles does not like being forced into anything. He abhors lies (and refuses to make use of them); he has no time for those who seek to attach their names to his for glory or power or money. One of the reasons he was drawn to Patroclus when they were still boys was because Patroclus avoided him and refused to compliment him. He knew that prince at least would be honest and Achilles values honesty. As a result, Patroclus knows him in a way few others do - and ever will. With him, Achilles is open, gentle, playful and infinitely passionate. To the world, he is untouchable - like water turned to ice. Much like his mother, in fact, though the heart that beats in his breast is much kinder than hers will ever be (otherwise he wouldn't have noticed or befriended Patroclus in the first place).

However, since receiving the news that his dear Patroclus must fulfill a blood oath and fight the Trojans, Achilles has become quicker to anger as of late. The weight of the prophecy made about him (that he will perish once Prince Hector dies) is heavy on his shoulders and he is determined to not see it through. No matter what. His stubborn resolve will fly in the face of what the Greeks expect of him and even Patroclus will eventually beg him to intervene to save lives. Yet Achilles's pride will be his true downfall; he just can't see it.

At his canon point, he is the proud prince leading his Myrmidons (2,500 of them) to the Trojan shore. He has appointed leaders (each commanding 500 of his army) and he fully expects to be victorious. Surely within a season or two, he can return to Greek lands and make a home with his Patroclus. He can't foresee the war carrying on for a decade and he can't foresee how many will be lost - his sweet Patroclus included.

If you ever wondered how to break a demigod: slaughter his soulmate viciously. Achilles longed for death then and sought it viciously, tearing through anyone who stood in his way. But, for now, he can't imagine losing someone so dear to him. Who would dare? Who would dare touch him? Achilles trusts his battle prowess to keep them both safe and he looks forward to scaling and conquering the Trojan walls. The Greeks will cry his name in triumph - not in agony or anger.

Upon finding himself in a strange place, he will be tense, ready for battle. It will take time for those defenses to soften and for him to reveal the youthful prince beneath his flashing golden armor. However there will inevitably be those that call to his heart and he won't be able to deny them his ear or his might. He might even play or sing for them; Achilles is a talented musician.

SAMPLE: I.

He fastens his armor tight, flush to his skin, when the shore comes into view. His helmet is tucked under his arm, ready to be placed over his golden hair when his view shifts. The shore of Troy disappears and he is standing in the middle of a desert. A city lies before him - one that is opulent enough but certainly not Troy - and Achilles feels a curl of anger. Placing his helmet resolutely on his head and drawing his sword, he races to the buildings in the distance, his feet flashing, quicker than a deer.

His breath isn't even labored when he reaches the city, pausing on the outskirts, shining in the harsh sunlight. When he sees no enemies, no one to fight, his anger grows and he states, to any god who might be listening:

"What is the point of this? Have I sailed for nothing? Where is Prince Hector?"

Achilles has wanted to see the prince in battle; he wants to understand his prowess in the art they share. He doubts Hector will outshine him in any capacity, but he can't help being curious. Stalking through the city streets, he likely looks like a myth or a legend shining like he does. A star fallen from the heavens. Aristos Achaion indeed.

Later, he enters the palace proper and removes his helm, remembering his princely courtesy. For the time being, anyway. His green eyes seek the face of the one he loves, but he is disappointed each time Patroclus fails to appear. Swinging his sword absently, he takes his time in sheathing the weapon.

"Explain." he demands, unprompted, to the first person who approaches him.

II.

(Network; Video; UN: sing of the rage)

Bringing Achilles Peleides to your beck and call was a gamble. You took me from my ship; from my Myrmidons. Do you think I would allow that to pass without judgement? Without punishment? (The part that angers him the most is that he has been torn from Patroclus. But a warrior never reveals their weak spot.) Speak. I will only give you a moment before I burn your city to ash.

(Granted it is likely not the best idea, but he is a demigod. He doesn't have all of the needs of a mortal. Though when he finds himself changed, he might be forced to be more cautious.

Then again, likely not. Achilles lives life to the fullest; the gods be damned.)

INVENTORY: His armor (helmet and sword included), a shield and spear. And maybe his lyre (with an extra set of strings)?

NOTES: I think he'll fit in just fine. He doesn't need any pampering, though he won't say no to it. ;3

IF ACCEPTED, WOULD YOU WANT A PLOT-LIGHT OR PLOT-HEAVY CUSTOM INTRO? Plot-light this time. He has a lot to contend with and I don't want him to break.

Thank you for your application!

ADMIN

When you have a second, have a last read through the game rules and comment to the TAKEN LIST.

Join

eastbound,

lostcompass,

westwhere. Feel free to make an OOC intro post on

lostcompass, if you want!

All game-relevant updates will be posted on

lostcompass, but if you’re fond of plurk, consider following

eastbound.

Like it says on the application page tin — you can have a maximum of two characters in the game, and you can invite one new person in per month!

If you’re not already served on that front, we have some custom codes to help you set up a character inbox or permissions post. Both are entirely optional, and feel free to customise at will!

Your character is exempted from activity requirements this month.

There is an informal discord server for the game, if you’re into that kind of thing — you’ll get a private message with an invite, once you comment to the Taken List!

We have kicked off Arc II: Taravast.

As you predicted, we’ll have to soften his invulnerability. If we don't, he’ll become unplayable for you, since he’ll have no real stakes or encounter real threats in the game. I leave it up to you how you want to handle this.

NOTES

INTRO: Achilles will be joining us just at the end of the lockdown event, as the palace begins to open its gates. He will be brought in by a group of healers who encountered him walking in a haze through Taravast, seemingly dismissed of his senses. Later, Achilles himself will be unable to recall what exactly possessed him to wander, other than a sense of perpetual restlessness, that wherever he went now was unsuitable. He will not recall how he materialised in Taravast. If he ever investigates his memories, he may remember there was white (opium) dust on his fingertips.

One of the more merciful healers takes him in, with an eye to help cure him while undertaking her duties at the Doxe’s bedside. For two days, Achilles is held largely within a small quarter he shares with the healer — who does not speak his tongue — and the gardens. On the third day, he encounters the sorceress Karsa, an employee of the party’s Merchant benefactor who is currently journeying with the caravan.

She gives Achilles a communication and translation device and explains both his whereabouts and the story so far. As part of the electoral espionage team divisions, Achilles will be assigned to Vannozza Spina, and he will reside in his patron’s wing of the Palazzo of the Doxe while in Taravast.

He is architected the identity of an infamous wine taster, whom noblemen frequently invite to their gatherings. They either make use of his discerning palate to help choose the best offerings for their (many) fetes – or they parade their wine collections before him, hoping to gain his approval and flourish their own reputations as wine connoisseurs. His job is to drink himself silly on other peoples’ dime, then make them feel particularly bad for their wine tastes.

He will find himself easily influencing gentry and having very easy access to the best gatherings. (Nearly) any gatherings. He’s walking that red carpet.

Karsa can also explain the piazza — a style of communicating to the city at large, with an eye to influence public opinion.

PLAYER NAME: Cris
CONTACT: Discord: Cris#4369, or ensigncris@gmail.com, or PM this journal!
HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE GAME?: Invited by Chel!

CHARACTER: Aang
CANON: Avatar the Last Airbender
CANON POINT: Season 3, during the Boiling Rock episode. Aang will wake up in-game after having gone to sleep at the Western Air Temple.

BACKGROUND: Here! (Up to the second paragraph in the Summer 100AG section.)

ABILITIES | POWERS:

Elemental Manipulation: As the Avatar, Aang can manipulate (and weaponize) the four classical elements (air, water, earth and fire) through martial arts. He has attained the rank of Master in Airbending, and though there has been no formal evaluation of his Waterbending and Earthbending skill he is probably at or near mastery of both. He is still a novice Firebender, though.
Airbending: Or Aerokinesis. Based on the movements of Ba Gua, Airbending involves controlling the flow of air. For the most part this is used by Aang to aid in evasion and movement: with the help of his staff/glider, he can fly short distances by using the wind to pick himself up off the ground. He can also push himself forward with the wind to run super fast, or use the wind to slow a fall and land comfortably even from an extreme height. On the occasions that he uses airbending offensively, it can be turned into a concussive or even cutting force strong enough to destroy solid rock, especially dangerous when augmented by things like fans or his glider staff.
Waterbending: Or hydro/cryokinesis. Based on Tai Chi, Waterbending controls the movement of water in all of its states, including ice. Small amounts of water can be pulled from the air when it exists as vapor, or out of plants, but for the most part (and in Aang's case currently) effective use of Waterbending requires the practitioner to carry around a supply of water or to have it readily available in the landscape. Aang can create whips or concussive spouts of water to stagger enemies, or use his ability to instantly freeze it to trap people in blocks of ice. He could also create super sharp shards or disks of ice, but for moral reasons he does not tend to go this route when waterbending.
Earthbending: Or geokinesis. Based on Hung Gar, Earthbending involves the ability to move dirt, stone and sand. This can be done with natural Earth features, but also man-made stone structures (like flattening steps made out of stone to turn a staircase into a smooth ramp.) Aang tends to use this ability defensively, generally summoning walls or shelters to place between himself and opponents or wrapping his body in a layer of earth resembling extremely bulky plate armor. Aang can also use bending to throw rocks through the air at opponents, or to create passages through solid landscapes where there weren't any before (tunneling through a mountain rather than climbing it, etc.) When his feet are on the ground he can also use Earthbending to sense the movements of anyone around him, essentially using it to see without his eyes (must be Earth or rock, not wooden or metal floors.)
Firebending: Or pyrokinesis. Based on Northern Shaolin, Firebending involves both the generation of and control of existing flames. Aang only knows basic forms so far, but since his teacher Zuko is currently in-game he could progress in his mastery while present so eventually he'll be able to improve on the rudimentary skill he's already got to create fire, as well as put out or control existing flames. With enough training he will also be able to elevate his own body temperature and superheat the things he breathes on or touches. He could also learn to redirect lightning back out of his body once struck.
Avatar State*: Aang has the ability to access/channel the power and knowledge accumulated through his past lives by entering into an "avatar state," which can work two different ways. The first way we see is a sort of hibernation, triggered unconsciously, which Aang used before the beginning of the series to freeze both himself and Appa in time beneath the ocean for nearly 100 years. It is unknown if there is a time limit on how long he can sustain this, but he seemed unable to wake or move without outside intervention. (Might be useful in a hiatus situation? But not much else.) The second way is a very brief period of extremely enhanced energy output/elemental mastery, usually followed by heavy fatigue. This state is either triggered by emotion (in Aang's case, usually anger or fear), as a physical defense mechanism meant to ensure his survival at all costs, or (only pretty late in the show) purposefully. The only time Aang seems to be in control of his actions is when he enters the state the third way, otherwise he unleashes wanton destruction until he is calmed down by someone familiar or until the danger passes and he is safe.
*Aang's access to the Avatar State is currently blocked due to damage to his chakras sustained during an attack in the show's 2nd season finale. It can be unblocked by severe enough physical force being applied to the lightning scar on the middle of his back (aligned with the Anahata/heart chakra), but he isn't aware of that. If there is a plot opportunity to unblock it during the course of the game I will consult mods first and also nerf the Avatar State's ability to do anything game-breaking involving altering the landscape with bending.
Spirit Medium: Aang has the innate ability to sense, empathize with and understand spirits, which in-universe are supernatural entities that tend to represent aspects of nature or life (in-game probably someone like Anurr would count. Can be nerfed out or just not apply to in-game entities if that would get too infomod-y!) In-canon he could also access the Spirit World at will through meditation, but he will not be able to do so in-game because different worlds etc etc.

PERSONALITY:

Despite the fact that he has the potential to be the most powerful person in his canon world, at heart Aang just wants the luxury of living as the pacifist he was raised to be by the monks in the temple where he grew up. He would much rather goof around and play games than fight the war he was born to put an end to, and it's that specific desire to escape responsibility that led him to run away from his people, and (by accident or by fate) get trapped beneath the ocean, frozen in time while the war progressed and eventually engulfed most of the world above him.

Aang continuously grapples with the guilt of that act, while still having the natural inclination to continue making similar mistakes. Because most things (like bending) came so easily to Aang, he loses motivation very quickly if he isn't immediately good at something, and he struggles a lot when faced with failure. If a problem has no apparent solution, and trying to find one intimidates him enough, Aang will do his best to weasel out of dealing with the issue at all. Just before his canon point, for example, when faced with the prospect of trying to learn Firebending for which he had no available teacher, Aang kept attempting to run away and play games with the other kids that he was traveling with rather than sit with the team and come up with a plan. Even when a teacher conveniently appeared before them, he let his fear of Firebending keep him from immediately accepting the help offered—despite having attempted to reach out to that particular person again and again when they were still on opposite sides.

It takes a lot of patience and coaxing to deal with him sometimes, especially when trying to teach him: he responds well to praise, but immediately loses faith in himself when hitting nearly any roadblock, including just receiving too much criticism. He also loves attention, and can be bratty when he's not getting any, or jealous when his friends are too busy with other things to spend time with him. He does not handle things like crushes with much grace at all. He is also mischievous, he even takes pride in being a troublemaker, relying on his ability to charm and sweet-talk his way back out of trouble when he inevitably gets caught.

Which is a long list of flaws, but he is humble enough to admit to his mistakes and he has a genuine desire to improve himself and learn to do better by others and the world around him. Aang will go above and beyond to help anyone and everyone that he can, regardless of who they are. Despite waking up from 100 years underwater to find his entire people massacred, Aang doesn't hate the nation responsible and goes out of his way to sympathize with and try to get to know the fire nation citizens he has a chance to meet on his journey. He feels the loss keenly, but he tries very hard to not let tragedy change him so much as a person that he can't be kind or have fun. Aang is optimistic, and believes wholeheartedly in giving people second chances, no matter who they are. He is sweet and playful, always willing to take the time to cheer people up with games or shenanigans.

He's extremely adventurous, easily excitable, and very sociable—he doesn't go anywhere without making at least one friend. He's difficult to embarrass because he doesn't take himself too seriously, and his sense of humor lets him laugh off even pretty pointed jabs without returning them. He has a strong sense of whimsy, and he always tries to take the time to indulge in both his own and other peoples' flights of fancy. He loves animals, even if he sometimes overestimates his ability to corral them.

Unlike a lot of young protagonists, Aang never asks for or wants to be treated like an adult. If anything, he resents being forced out of his childhood so early, and he strives to remind other young characters who grew up too fast how young they are, too. Despite that, he is independent, self-sufficient, and wise beyond his years as well. He occasionally frustrates his friends by offering sage advice or having wise monk sayings on hand for their difficult emotional situations, even when they don't really ask. It comes from a place of experience, though, because Aang puts a lot of work into maintaining his sense of self and his spiritual well-being, especially knowing he is the last Airbender and that he must uphold the teachings of his people or they'll be lost in the world forever.

SAMPLE: Here!

INVENTORY: Clothes, staff/glider, a fistful of marbles and a Bison whistle (which works like a dog whistle would.)

NOTES: The only accommodation Aang would need is for diet, because he is a vegetarian, but he can simply not partake of any meat available for consumption. Because at 12 he definitely also fits into the "children" category, though, I'd like to note that Aang has been traveling on his own for some time with only other people around his age and can both fend for himself and survive off the land. He also has some experience (though he certainly needs more) acting as a diplomatic figure due to the status of being an Avatar in his own world. He won't require more looking-after by the group than any other older teen characters would.

IF ACCEPTED, WOULD YOU WANT A PLOT-LIGHT OR PLOT-HEAVY CUSTOM INTRO? Plot-heavy, please!!

Heya - thank you for the application! It's all looking great so far, but the sample is just a bit on the short side to give a comprehensive feel of Aang's layered personality. It's clear you can handle prose for him, so all I'll ask is a short, two to three-sentence answer to each of the following scenario-based questions. There's no "right" answer, and this is just to glean your thought processes for him.

1. Enemy forces strike while Aang and his companion friends are escorting a set of fragile refugees in travel. As the strongest fighter, Aang is told to remove the refugees, leaving his competent but tight-numbered friends to risk themselves by diverting the assailants. No one but Aang can remove the refugees safely, and they are heavily at risk if they remain on premise. What does Aang choose to do?

2. Aang and his team reach the homeland of a powerful ancient tribe to find it has just been bloodily eradicated by a younger group. They claim the slaughter was justice, earned because of the years of cruel oppression inflicted on them by the culled tribe. They refuse to show mercy to any lingering survivors. What, if anything, does Aang do?

Oop, these ended up being a little longer than three sentences each, sorry!

1. Unfortunately Aang has been in this position before, and he really, really hates it every time! But for the sake of the refugees he would do his best to take them away from the fray. During their escape, he would look for any possibility of finding them a temporary place of safety so he could return to help his friends, but barring any reasonable opportunities for that, he would resign himself to simply drowning in worry until hearing about the team's fate. And unfortunately probably get real snippy even with the refugees who definitely didn't ask for any of this, because of the weight of the guilt of having left his team behind. After the refugees are safe, he would try to join in any rescue effort that follows.

2. Aang's first instinct would be to try to negotiate with or speak to the leaders of the younger group, because he's accustomed to his council being taken at least a little bit seriously due to his status in his canon world. If (or more likely when, because he's just a goofy looking kid and not The Avatar here) that doesn't work, he would immediately go behind the local authority's back to try and search for any survivors himself/release them if they've been imprisoned, to protect them and help them escape from the immediately dangerous territory. Obviously that would be a Bad Move for the prospects of the team traversing peacefully through said homeland, but he doesn't have much of a head for political machinations yet, sorry team. Even if he found out that like, there was definitely a lot of cruel oppression and maybe the younger group has a reason to be so angry, he wouldn't be able to live with himself just if he just stood by and ignored the slaughter.

Thank you so much — that's great and helps convey your take on the character in more tenuous circumstances.

Before writing out the plot-relevant part of your acceptance note: typically Aang's arrival would be woven into the latest event, but the latter is more horror-tipped than usual for us. The game-wide vote favoured a spooky October event, but I appreciate that this might not be 100% to everyone's comfort and taste. If I can bother you to have a skim, can you let me know if you'd like Aang to be brought into the game within Taravast (the citadel where the action takes place), or if you prefer I find him a plot-accommodating way of setting him up outside of it, so you can opt out of the more difficult parts of the event until it's over, but retain network access for him?

Please don't feel pressured either way, we'll go with whatever suits your OOC comfort. I just don't want you forced into a deeper horror event atmosphere, if that doesn't suit your needs right now.

Thank you!! Go ahead and plop Aang down into the middle of it, I absolutely don't mind the spookier elements! Tis the season, after all.

Thank you for your application!

ADMIN

When you have a second, have a last read through the game rules and comment to the TAKEN LIST.

Join

eastbound,

lostcompass,

westwhere. Feel free to make an OOC intro post on

lostcompass, if you want!

All game-relevant updates will be posted on

lostcompass, but if you’re fond of plurk, consider following

eastbound.

Like it says on the application page tin — you can have a maximum of two characters in the game, and you can invite one new person in per month!

If you’re not already served on that front, we have some custom codes to help you set up a character inbox or permissions post. Both are entirely optional, and feel free to customise at will!

Your character is exempted from activity requirements this month.

There is an informal discord server for the game, if you’re into that kind of thing — you’ll get a private message with an invite, once you comment to the Taken List!

We have kicked off Arc II: Taravast, and our latest event is here.

It’s a-okay to keep Aang’s spiritual medium abilities. If we ever need to dial down something, we’ll figure it out along the way.

NOTES

INTRO: Aang joins the party in the thick of things, awakening in the outskirts of Taravast alongside a group of merchants who are desperately trying to flee the citadel during its recent spate of atrocities. They found Aang collapsed in the piazza and took him under their wing, providing him with a patchy but serviceable translation and communication pendant. As it happens, every time they attempt to exit the citadel, something goes wrong: the Beastmaster unleashes a fresh wave of creatures, the waters of the canals flood because of the Anurr-led temperature volatility, the undead storm, random fire stokes — they conclude, squinty-eyed, that the reason for their recent adversities must surely be... Aang, whom they refer to as Ahn-Salack: a portent who attract bad luck everywhere. He must be treated well, they argue, or he will take his vengeance and shower even more wretched fortune upon them. Note: Aang is innocent of any bad luck-bearing. ~~Or is he.~~

The merchants “turn him over” at Doxe Bonaccorso’s refugee camp in the witches’ sanctuary at the first opportunity. There, Aang encountersthe sorceress Karsa, an employee of the party’s Merchant benefactor who is currently journeying with the caravan. She recognises Aang as a newcomer to the world, spares him an updated communication and translation device and explains both his whereabouts and the story so far.

Unlike his predecessors, comes with his own reputation, as the merchants spread word that he is the worst of bad luck heralds. Karsa initially struggles to assign him a team, but Macaluso Spina feels Taravast has been so greatly battered by poor fortune that to hold the Ahn-Salack within his clutches is better than to let him fall in Vannozza’s hands.

Once order and proper accommodations are restored, Aang will reside in his patron’s wing of the Palazzo of the Doxe while in Taravast. He will receive especially lavish quarters and a handsome stipend.

He will find himself easily influencing every social class of Taravast, all of whom are petrified of him and seek to bribe him with gifts, if only he stops exuding bad luck their way.

Karsa can also explain the piazza — a style of communicating to the city at large, with an eye to influence public opinion.

PLAYER NAME: Rachel
CONTACT:

la_fille_en_histoire
HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE GAME?: I was encouraged by Katie to apply

CHARACTER: Daenerys Targaryen
CANON: A Song of Ice and Fire
CANON POINT: End of A Dance With Dragons

BACKGROUND: Wiki

ABILITIES | POWERS:
*Daenerys has prophetic dreams, called "Dragon Dreams". They come in allegories for her to figure out. For instance, she dreamed of sprouting wings when she had the dream of how to hatch her dragons.
*Daenerys is a skilled horse rider, having spent a great deal of time on one with the Dothraki
*She's been trained recently in martial strategy
*She's adapt at governing, along with trade, financing and resources.

PERSONALITY:

Daenerys' journey from the first book through the series is one of self discovery. She begins the story "fearful and furtive" as Illyrio Mopatis calls her. She's abused and terrified of her brother, meekly following his plan of selling her in marriage to the Dothraki in exchange for an army to help him win back his throne. It isn't until she is given her dragons eggs as a wedding gift that Daenerys starts to grow and change. She slowly becomes more confident, standing up for herself and beginning to find the stronger aspects of herself. Moving forward, these begin to shape more and guide Daenerys through her journey.

More than anything, Daenerys is a leader. The beginning of this is seen when Drogo dies at the end of the first book and Daenerys seeks to claim the khalasar as her own. After her dragons are born and she begins leading her people towards water and safety, she continually reminds herself that she must be strong for them, that they are looking to her and they need her to survive. Many times Daenerys is offered the chance to go to Westeros, but because she isn't given the resources to take her people with her or is being asked to abandon the city that she is ruling over, she refuses. She puts the needs of her people above her own desires, often agreeing to things that she doesn't want to. She marries Hizdahr zo Loraq to try and stop the violence in Meereen, also agreeing to open up the fighting pits, even though it's a place where slaves are trafficked and forced to fight. She locks up her dragons when she learns that Drogon killed a small girl, choosing to put the safety of her people above her children.

Daenerys is a nurturing woman. Beyond her duty as queen, she cares about the well being of others. During the outbreak of the Bloody Flux in Meereen, Daenerys insists on going among the sick, wanting to tend and care for them. She's so desperate to look after her people and loved ones that it often leads her into drastic decisions. To save Drogo's life, she agrees to let a Magi tend to him, not knowing that when she asks for magic to be performed, she is sacrificing her child or that Drogo would be left in a living coma.

She has strong moral codes regarding slavery as well as honor itself. While she sometimes stoops to ruthless methods, she always tries to reassure herself that it's for her people's benefit. Whenever her advisers push her towards violent actions, she's always the one to resist. Daario urges her to agree to marry Hizdahr, but only to lure the nobles into one place, allowing her to slaughter them (ala Red Wedding). However, Daenerys is appalled by the suggestion and sends Daario away for a time. While she gathers a number of children to act as hostages against the nobles of Meereen, whenever the Sons of the Harpy begin killing her people again, she hesitates and then refuses to harm the children. The whole basis of her plan for taking them in falling apart because she can't bear to hurt the innocent.

This moral code is strongest when it comes to the subject of slavery. We see through the series that Daenerys identifies with the weak in society, whether they are slaves, the poor or the Lhazareen. When Drogo's khalasar defeats Khal Ogo and begin enslaving and raping the women of the Lhazareen village, Daenerys orders the men to stop and takes the women under her protection. When she comes into possession of the Unsullied, she first frees them and calls for them to break the chains of the slaves in the city, killing the Masters. It becomes her mission to free the cities of Slaver's Bay and break the chains of the slaves that have been living in subjugation. When she recognizes that some of her actions have left chaos, rather than abandon the cities she's recently freed, Daenerys stays on as queen to try and ensure that slavery doesn't return to Meereen. Much of her negotiations and continuing resistance to offers of alliance center around the bargains that some want her to make, such as accepting slavery returning to certain parts of Slaver's Bay. Each offer is refused and the number of her enemies grow. It's such a sticking point to her, that it's the root of her troubles in "A Dance with Dragons", her attempts to rule mired in her inability to bring peace to Meereen after uprooting the long standing tradition. However she believes so strongly in freeing the slaves that she doesn't back down.

She does have a temper that flares in the face of cruelty, especially towards women and slaves. The most notable example is her retribution for the 163 slave children that were nailed to milestones along the route. When the city is taken by Daenerys's forces, she nails 163 slave masters outside of the Great Pyramid as punishment. While Daenerys has a forgiving and tender heart, there is a part of her that can hold a grudge. When she learns that Jorah Mormont had been working with Varys and sent him information about her pregnancy (that lead to an assassination attempt), she sends him to attack Meereen through the sewers, hoping partly that he will be killed. He returns, but remains unrepentant. While she can't execute him, she does exile him and refuses to forgive him for his actions. She also uses more ruthless means, allowing a wine seller (who is suspected of harboring Sons of the Harpy) to be tortured. She can be stubborn as well. While she will listen to her advisers, she stands firm in what she thinks is the right course, no matter if it turns out to be a bad decision or not. One of the earlier examples is when she trusts Mirri Maz Duur to treat and cure Drogo. While there are signs of his rapid decline, she refuses to think that Mirri has betrayed her or listen to her bloodriders. She even ignores the cost of a blood ritual, despite being warned that only death could pay for life. She dismisses Jorah's appeals to sail to Westeros, focusing instead on Slaver's Bay, refusing to abandon the people despite the ever worsening situation she finds herself in. The costs are too high for her and she refuses to abandon what she thinks is right.

Daenerys is connected to magic in the ways of the ancient Targaryens. She possesses dragon dreams that give her glimpses of the future. An example of this are the dreams she had of her dragon eggs and how eventually she was able to hatch them, giving life to dragons again. Magic is rooted to much of Daenerys' story. She has visions of Quaithe who urges her to Asshai, she tries to deal with the Warlocks of the House of the Undying and experiences visions there of events that come later in the book and moments from the past. The most notable moment is when she was able to enter Drogo's funeral pyre and emerge from the flames with three newly hatched dragons. Daenerys isn't skeptical and believes in her dreams and the visions, but often puts those aside for the more pressing issues. Rather than embrace what Quaithe has said of going to Asshai, she instead takes the Unsullied and marches through Slaver's Bay. By the end of the book, however, it seems that she is starting to give into her visions as Quaithe comes to her while she's sick and dying.

There is a divide between Daenerys the Queen and Daenerys the Woman. She has dreams of a simple life, wanting more than anything to find the House with the Red Door (which represents her lost childhood) and marry a man she loves, being a normal woman. However, she understands that those desires are selfish and puts the needs of her people first. This is especially prominent when she imagines Daario stopping her wedding to Hizdar and stealing her away, the two of them living like smallfolk. The dream is ignored though and she marries a man she doesn't love. She sometimes contemplates giving it all up or how deep down all she really wants is someone to love her for herself. Beneath her crown and queenly exterior, Daenerys is still a young girl trying to find her way in the warning and still testing her strengths.

SAMPLE: Springwood TDM, Spingwood, PSL

INVENTORY: Only her Dothraki leather vest and pants, as well as grass sandals.

NOTES: N/A

IF ACCEPTED, WOULD YOU WANT A PLOT-LIGHT OR PLOT-HEAVY CUSTOM INTRO? Plot heavy, if that's possible, but if it's not, I'm okay either way.

Hello! The application is accepted — ahead of writing up the full acceptance note, I wanted to check in on the following: I know you haven't asked for Daenerys to bring in a dragon, even though Drogon would in theory be with her at the end of Dance. That's probably to abide by the app inventory request to not bring in living or magical beings (thank you!).

However, I'm open to making an exception in this case, since I realise that so much of Daenerys' character and psychological welfare are linked to her dragons. If you want her to have Drogon with her, I can approve him to come in, although he would have to be sized down to his much younger form (say, all the way down to when Daenerys can still carry him on her shoulder, or perhaps no taller than reaching her knees).

Let me know if that's something you'd like, since I'd have to incorporate him in Daenerys' Taravast identity. And, of course, we'd be happy to have Daenerys without her dragon too.

That's really generous of you! I was willing to bring Dany in without Drogon and could work around his absence, but you're right, her dragons are a large part of her motivation and psychology. That you're willing to allow him in, even scaled down, I'm extremely grateful. I'd absolutely love to do that. Him being small is fine by me. She might even enjoy that a little. She can't fly on him, but she can mother him again.

Shoulder or knee, I'll let you guys decide. Either way, I'm just happy to have him with Dany.

Thank you for your application!

ADMIN

When you have a second, have a last read through the game rules and comment to the TAKEN LIST.

Join

eastbound,

lostcompass,

westwhere. Feel free to make an OOC intro post on

lostcompass, if you want!

All game-relevant updates will be posted on

lostcompass, but if you’re fond of plurk, consider following

eastbound.

Like it says on the application page tin — you can have a maximum of two characters in the game, and you can invite one new person in per month!

If you’re not already served on that front, we have some custom codes to help you set up a character inbox or permissions post. Both are entirely optional, and feel free to customise at will!

Your character is exempted from activity requirements this month.

There is an informal discord server for the game, if you’re into that kind of thing — you’ll get a private message with an invite, once you comment to the Taken List!

We have kicked off Arc II: Taravast, and our latest plot developments are here.

I’ll volley the choice back at you and let you decide how big you want Drogon to come in (no bigger than reaching Daenerys’ knees, please).

NOTES

INTRO: Daenerys will be joining the team right after the recent devastation of Taravast. She awakens alone, with her dragon, in a remote desert canyon — the Stairs of Sighs passageway. She is ‘rescued’ by a band of minor nobles and merchant refugees, who took off with all of their belongings and abandoned Taravast to destruction amid the ongoing conflict. Attempting to fight the undead, with the odds so ill balanced against them, is futile, they argue. They would benefit no one — least of all themselves — by persisting in suicide. So, they’ve fled.

Unlike their water-born kind, pure dragons with the capacity for flight have not been seen in Taravast for decades. Drogon awes them, and they interpret his appearance here and now as a sign that Taravast will prevail despite its recent hardships. Band leader Rosso Capello and several of the ~~cravens~~ travellers repent of their brief episode of cowardice, determined to reconquer the citadel with the help of this mysterious nymph who speaks in tongues and her dragon.

...as it happens, by the time they crawl back to Taravast, the citadel has already been purged of the undead, and the merchants apply themselves to building Daenerys (and especially her dragon) a reputation as a nymph embodying purity, virtue, conquest and stalwart bravery. The last-minute branding doesn’t exactly harm their ask price, when they sell both Daenerys and Drogon to the household of Vannozza Spina — who accepts the transaction less for Daenerys’ prospects in determining the tides of war, and more because dragons have historically sometimes helped cure eerie sicknesses. The lady, it will become apparent later in the month, is afflicted. ( Daenerys might get a plot roll closer to the moment when either Vannozza's sickness is revealed, or when the lady Spina begins to desperately try her luck at whatever cures are available. )

Once slated for Vannozza’s wing of the Palace of the Doxe, Daenerys is intercepted by the sorceress Karsa, an employee of the party’s Merchant benefactor who is currently journeying with the group. She recognises Daenerys as a newcomer to the world and provides her a communication and translation device, so that Daenerys can finally master the local tongue. Karsa discloses Daenerys’ whereabouts and recounts the story so far.

Karsa can also explain the piazza — a style of communicating to the city at large, with an eye to influence public opinion.

This is definitely amazing. I'll have Drogon reach her knees, which makes him a bit more awe-inspiring. Thanks again!

PLAYER NAME: Elizabeth
CONTACT:

detectivefiction
HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE GAME?: Heard on Plurk, invited by Rachel

CHARACTER: Jon Snow
CANON: Game of Thrones (with A Song of Ice and Fire being the primary source for filling in any information the show doesn’t give, as long as it doesn’t conflict with show continuity)
CANON POINT: Between 7x02 and 7x03, en route from Winterfell to Dragonstone. Jon has been King in the North for a few months and is trying to prepare to fight the White Walkers; Dragonstone is where he hopes to find help and equipment that he needs.

BACKGROUND: 1 | 2

ABILITIES | POWERS: Jon has the basic education and abilities that are reasonable for someone with his background: outdoorsmanship, survival, tons of training (and some teaching experience) in various medieval fighting techniques/weaponry (swords are a specialty), a privileged academic history for his time and place, administrative and military command experience, experience as a steward (general household servant), etc.

As far as potentially magical abilities: He has an affinity for and ability to bond with dragons (or at least dragons from his canon), which he is completely unaware of, and he has a skinchanger/warg bond with his direwolf, Ghost, which was not really depicted in the show anyway. Ghost's absence from this game means that it's likely irrelevant!

The rules for ASOIAF dragons are basically that each dragon only has one bond/rider at a time, for the rider’s lifetime, and each rider can only ever bond with a single dragon… but depending on whether or not you want to use this and how, his Targaryen dragonlord ancestry could still make dragons take a friendly interest in him.

PERSONALITY:

Genuinely Good Person: Admittedly more of a cluster of personality traits than a single one. Jon is honest, kindly, fair, helpful, decent, affable, generous, humble, stoic, loyal, reliable, and relatively easygoing in most of his interpersonal interactions. While he is not universally popular, he loves his friends and family and they love and admire him in return. He's hard-working, almost uncomplaining, and at this canon point, there's little he thinks he's too good to do. In general, he's a solid, stand-up guy with a big heart.

Quiet: Jon is soft spoken, an attentive listener, observant, reserved, sometimes so reticent as to seem gruff, and when he was a child, he was mature for his age in most ways. However, he was also considered sullen by people who didn't know him well, and as an adult, he's sometimes seen as brooding. There is an exception to his tendency to be soft-spoken: when he's commanding men or addressing a crowd, he speaks in a ringing tone that carries.

He was raised to behave with integrity, and doing so is important to him, so much so that he's emotionally troubled in circumstances that make it difficult. His conscience weighs heavily on him, and he genuinely tries to do the right thing. In many situations, he acts selflessly, for the greater good.

It is worth noting that integrity and reliability can shade into stubbornness. Determination to do the right thing is not always convenient or popular, and Jon can rarely be dissuaded from it.

Brave: This is a good trait, in that it's tied to his integrity, his selflessness, and his care for others. If there's a chance that he might die protecting people, so be it: he's still going to try to protect them.

But bravery sometimes combines with some of his other personality traits to manifest as reckless bravado, which nearly gets him killed on more than one occasion. Also, Jon enjoys the physical act of fighting in the same way that other people might enjoy participating in a sport. This is usually confined to training, but not always, and it contributes to the issue.

Bright and capable: Jon is neither bookish nor intellectual. However, he is intelligent enough to have excelled academically as a child, to have been picked out as leadership material by a series of mentors, and to have both put together the broader implications of the things he learns about the Army of the Dead and a series of plans for how to deal with them. In the books, he adopts his dead lover's taunt about his ignorance of her people's ways -- "You know nothing, Jon Snow" -- as his own internal mantra to remind himself to be humble about his assumptions. In other words, he's smart enough to remind himself that he doesn't know everything, and he continues to seek out new information.

Shame: Jon grew up painfully conscious of the popular Westerosi stereotype of bastard-born people: lustful, dishonest, worthless, malignant, and a stain on their parents' honor. Internalized shame related to this manifests in a lot of ways.
- Jon has always had a strong motivation to disprove people's negative assumptions and to live up to the example set by Ned Stark, the man who raised him. It's not the only reason for his positive qualities, but it's a big part of why Jon seems to have a psychological need to be as good a person as he can manage to be. At his pull point, the fact that the Northern lords have chosen him as their king is a sign of Jon's success at proving that a bastard can be worthy of trust and respect.
- Jon attempts to detach from sexual attraction, mostly because of a great resistance to the idea of fathering a bastard himself; his empathetic nature means that the idea of saddling his own child with the same stigma he grew up under doesn't sit well with him. While he becomes more willing to engage in relationships after leaving the Night's Watch, he doesn't do so easily, casually, or hastily. He is never opportunistic or predatory about sex.
- Jon tends to isolate himself. He has both cultural and personal reasons to keep his emotional struggles close to his chest, and while he has many friends, he has few close ones to whom he'll open up. Many of his emotional troubles in early life were related to his bastardy: his fear that people would make negative assumptions about him based on who they might think he was rather than his actions, his worries about finding a place in the world, his profound wish to make his father proud, his feelings of otherness within the Stark family, and the fact that he never knew his mother and his father's wife wanted nothing to do with him. They wounded him deeply, and they were not something he could share with his trueborn siblings, who would not have understood. In adulthood, he rarely speaks extensively about his feelings to anyone other than his friend Sam, and being fully accepted and appreciated by Sansa as her brother is a big deal to him.
- While he made great strides in overcoming the shame as an adult, it's still a core formative aspect of his personality, and his demeanor can be moody or brooding as a direct result. Jon grew up as an apparently sullen boy who often hung back on the sidelines while his siblings had fun together. As an adult, he's still too much in his own head.

Dutiful: Jon's integrity, bravery, and drive to overcome his internalized shame combine into a strong sense of duty, which is an overriding motivation. If he is forced to violate one of his other ideals in the name of duty, he will usually do so, although it will distress him.

As an example: Jon's Night's Watch vow of celibacy is very important to him, but he breaks it with Ygritte to preserve his cover as a "deserter," so he can learn what Mance's plans are. While he comes to genuinely care for Ygritte, he eventually leaves her, partly because warning the Night's Watch of the oncoming attack is part of his mission. It's enough of a betrayal to cause him considerable guilt, not what he wanted to do on a personal level, and not one he would have committed under other circumstances, but staying with her would have been a greater betrayal of his duty and values. The Watch, the North, and the people he has sworn to protect are more important than his happiness -- or hers.

Violent temper: Like anyone else, Jon has buttons that can be pressed, and while other aspects of his personality help keep him on an even keel most of the time, sometimes he's pushed too far and his stoicism breaks. Threats to or disparagement of his family or others he cares about are most likely to cause a flare of temper, but when he was younger, taunts about his bastardy also acted as a reliable trigger. Years apart, he: pulled a knife on one man who mocked him while he was under emotional strain; nearly beat a man to death at the end of a hard-fought battle in which the man had just murdered Jon's younger brother; and nearly strangled a third man, who had exploited Jon's sister.

He wants people to unite for practical reasons in canon (and to that end, he's a successful diplomat), but he is not a pacifist. He was raised to be a soldier in a martial culture. He's more likely to defend than to attack, and he'd prefer not to kill in situations where he doesn't feel that it's necessary; however, if someone is coming at him or someone he cares about with intent to kill or seriously injure, he has no problem meeting them with lethal force.

Summary: There are few easy choices in GoT, and characters are repeatedly forced to compromise one of their values to serve another. What someone’s duty even is in a situation is sometimes a tough call. What if your loyalty to your lover is in conflict with your loyalty to your brother, or your king? What if obeying the spirit of a law requires breaking the letter of it? These situations come up again and again in Jon's storyline, and each time, the stakes are higher and the fallout is more devastating.

Jon is only human, and deeply human. He’s a very good person, but not a saint, nor so bright and capable that he's any kind of tactical genius (his tactics aren't bad when he sticks to them, but his greatest skill is probably with a sword), nor so resilient that he never falters and never needs a pep talk, nor so charismatic and persuasive that he's always 100% successful at talking people into things. His strengths are always in balance with his weaknesses, and sometimes the weaknesses win; other times, his strengths are used against him; other times, his strengths simply aren't good enough on their own, and he succeeds partly because of help from his allies.

SAMPLE:

1: Jon apologizes to Yennefer: A note about context! This occurred just after a complex in-game AU that lasted something like 6-8 weeks in real time and in which characters had a lifetime of AU memories and no knowledge of their canon selves. In the AU, Jon was a spoiled, womanizing rich kid who had begun to awaken to his privilege and the rot in his society: my idea was to mirror a little of what he might have been like if he had grown up as a prince. This thread essentially involves Canon Jon’s disapproval of his other self, and remorse for his past actions in the AU.

2: A bunch of threads from a TDM earlier this year

3: A very recent thread that was also used as a sample by Dany's player

INVENTORY: Canon outfit (socks/underclothes, a high necked grey linen shirt, black wool breeches, padded arming jacket, brigandine/reinforced leather armor tunic, plate gorget with Stark sigils, leather boots and gloves, velvet cloak trimmed with wolf fur) with sword belt (includes his sword Longclaw and a small dagger for utilitarian purposes). Probably a few mundane personal items like a flint and a wooden comb, which are in a leather pouch somewhere on his person.

NOTES: Nothing exciting off the top of my head! This is a character who is pretty prepared for Adventure and can handle rough conditions, but was also raised in an aristocratic family. He might stand out as a soldier in a more refined setting, but he’s unlikely to come off as a barbarian. He's comfortable around people from all walks of life.

I would like to note that, if accepted, I don’t think it would be hard to work out ways to keep him from blowing any cover that Sansa needs to maintain. While he’s a protective big brother, he did also have that “Night’s Watch defector” arc: I doubt he’d cause trouble for a sibling who’s in a similar situation, outside of being sure they know he’s there to help whenever they need him.

IF ACCEPTED, WOULD YOU WANT A PLOT-LIGHT OR PLOT-HEAVY CUSTOM INTRO? I love plot, it’s the surest way to lock me into a game, but I am also always hesitant to tax mod resources. Do what’s best for you!

Hello! The app is 95% approved, I'd just like to check on two small things, please:

— As far as bringing Jon from Game of Thrones, but using A Song of Ice and Fire material to fill in show gaps — I'm all right with that for details that do not change plot or character relationships, but not for bigger elements. In other words, I'd be okay with GoT Jon having, let's say, an ASoIaF pepper allergy — but not with him having met a main character he only encounters in ASoIaF. In that vein, I'm happy for you to assume a closer affinity and relationship to Ghost, but not a full warg bond, which is only explored in the book. Would this work for you, or would it be a deal breaker?

— In that vein, since Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire loves its animal bonds: do you foresee bringing Jon in without Ghost could make it inconvenient to play him? Given the close canon relationship, I'd rather let Ghost come in than have a post-death Jon destabilised by his absence, provided Ghost isn't used as a significant power advantage.

1. Cool, we’re on the same page! This is absolutely my approach. I typically use the books to fill in stuff that Jon would know but a TV show can’t waste time on, especially since it’s a good consensus source for casts when it comes to things like shared childhood memories or the names of minor characters — trivia, basically. It also helps explain Jon’s motivations for things that happen in very similar ways for apparently similar reasons, like his decision to execute Janos Slynt or his relationship with Ygritte. But it’s not reasonable to, say, incorporate Donal Noye (explicitly not in the show: his plot impact is given to Tyrion) or Val (very obviously written out), or Mormont’s Raven (a suspiciously astute talking bird), or pretend that something extremely important like Jon’s baby swap happened offscreen or is part of his show characterization. There are also a few very important things that are technically show-only, like the confirmation of Jon’s parentage that the books only hint at so far, and the consequent dragon affinity.

TBH, while some mods have wanted to keep/use the warg bond (or at least allowed it), the extent of my use of it as a player over the last few years has been Jon maybe craving raw meat once or twice or thinking “gosh I’m so close to Ghost that sometimes I dream I’m him”: any more extensive version of it, like the time Bran used it to invade Jon’s dreams, would conflict with the show. So it’s good and necessary to draw whatever boundary you think is best on that entire subject.

That said….

2. While Ghost is always a “nice to have,” and while it would be IC for Jon to prefer to have him around and to find some relief in Ghost’s presence under the circumstances… I don’t think anyone playing from a 7x02 canon point can fairly argue that Show Jon is very psychologically dependent on him anymore. In many ways, he functions more as an external symbolic representation of Jon than as an animal companion Jon depends on for stability. Ghost often protects people who Jon would protect if he were there.

Early-canon Jon is a lonely, insecure kid who uses Ghost as a security blanket, but S7 Jon has functioned without Ghost in the past (during his time with the Wildlings and during his trip to Hardhome), and he’s coming from a pull point where he’s about to do nothing but function without Ghost for the greater part of a year. Ghost didn’t appear onscreen between 6x03 and 8x02 for budgetary reasons, but he is still assumed to be with Jon until Jon leaves Winterfell for Dragonstone. Jon doesn’t return for probably about six months, then is home for maybe six weeks or so, has a major identity crisis, and gives Ghost away. They’re reunited at Castle Black maybe 4-6 months after that. (The passage of time can be determined by travel logistics: the distance from Winterfell to White Harbor would be about two weeks of day travel on horseback, White Harbor to Dragonstone would be about two weeks by sea in good conditions, and so on.)

I’ve also never had issues playing him from this canon point without Ghost! Ghost mostly works as a bonus CR hook, something that helps other characters understand Jon a little better (he’s this guy who can seem intimidating but is actually kind, and Ghost is this huge red-eyed wolf who mostly acts like a well-trained dog), sometimes something for castmates to attach to, etc. So, tl;dr, knowing this kind of creature is a special exception on your part and it’d be dishonest for me to argue that he’s “needed,” however tempting, I’ve been prepared to have Jon come in without him. It is delightful to have him around, but it’s not easier or harder: I lose the CR hook if he isn’t, and a slightly more isolated Jon gets a few “I miss Ghost” moments in tags, but I also don’t have to figure out what a large companion animal is up to all the time.

Thanks!

PLAYER NAME: BG
CONTACT: PM
HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE GAME?: Ruxi/returning player!

CHARACTER: Wen Kexing
CANON: Word of Honor
CANON POINT: Just before confronting Zhao Jing and exposing him (aka getting his revenge.)

BACKGROUND: Wiki page however as it doesn't currently have a history section, here are bullet points of his influence in the show:

Childhood; family was cast out of the Healer's Valley, father was wounded. They were helped by Four Seasons Manor's leader (Zhou Zishu's master) however as soon as they were left behind to heal, Kexing's parents were killed by the Ghost Valley leader and followers. Kexing was then raised by the Ghost Valley leader and changed his name from Zhen Yan.

Kexing was forced to drink the Waters of Lethe, which makes people forget their greatest obsession, which in Kexing's case, was his need to get vengeance for his parents' exile and murder. Those responsible are the Ghost Valley Leader, and the Five Lakes Alliance Sect. Despite drinking the potion, he didn't completely forget his need for revenge, so would frequently fall into comas growing up and gets bad headaches when he thinks of his past and fights the potion's effects.

He eventually became strong and vicious enough to defeat and kill the Ghost Valley Leader and take over the Valley. Leading the ghosts out into the martial arts world, he gave them the task of retrieving his stolen Glazed Armor piece, which was one of five pieces to the vaunted secret armory the Five Lakes Alliance protects.

Soon after leaving the Ghost Valley with his ghost 'maid' Gu Xiang (treated more like a daughter who looks after his every need as best she can and follows his orders), Kexing met Zhou Zishu, who was disguised at the time as a beggar. Through watching Zishu move, Kexing figured out he was disguised, then that he was from the Four Seasons Manor.

Plotting behind the scenes, Kexing hid who he really was from everyone, especially Zishu as long as he could, as ghosts and humans aren't supposed to have the same destiny, though he acknowledged the other man as his soulmate and that he would marry no one else.

One after another, sects belonging to the Five Lakes Alliance fall and he watches, poking here and there and getting to know Zishu and Chengling, a boy from the first sect involved in his vengeance on the martial arts world but managed to ingratiate himself with Zishu and Kexing. He takes extra pleasure in flirting with Zishu and making sure the other is well dressed, fed, has plenty of good alcohol to drink - but they still argue, and as they grow closer, Zishu's words hit harder and separate them for a little while. Only for them to wind up right back together without apologies or explanations.

At some point, Kexing finds out Zishu is dying and there is no cure, but resolves to find or make a cure himself. They run into Ye Baiyi, an old friend of Zishu's master who has one cure (Zishu had impaled seven nails into his own body as a means to escape his assassin sect and as penance, this method gives the victim about three years to live with ever diminishing senses) however the cure's effect is not what Zishu is willing to suffer (complete loss of his martial arts, making him unable to protect others) and so is turned down. Ye Baiyi leaves to find a better solution.

Kexing eventually returns to Zishu's home where they live with Chengling for a while. Yi Baiyi sends a message saying he'd found a cure for Zishu, and that two people were on their way to administer it - Wu Xi and Beiyuan.

Ye Baiyi found out Kexing is the leader of Ghost Valley and told him if he ever saw him again, Ye Baiyi would kill him.

Shen Shen, one of the leaders in the Five Lakes Alliance, comes to the Manor and learns who Kexing is. Explanations are given, but Kexing was unable to handle all his beliefs being overturned and fell into a coma.

Just before Zishu can be administered the start of the cure, the Manor is attacked and burned, Zishu captured and taken away. Chengling managed to get Kexing to safety, until Kexing woke up and went after Zishu to rescue him.

Kexing saved Zishu's rescuers and brought Zishu away to safety, meeting back up with Chengling, Gu Xiang, Wu Xi, and Beiyuan, where the first part of the cure is immediately given.

As he's finally discovered who he should really take his revenge out on, Kexing changes his manner of attack. Instead of waiting for Zishu, or including him in his plot for revenge, he leaves.

He allows himself to appear to fall victim to schemes to reveal him being the Leader of the Ghost Valley, and even seems to let himself be killed by Chengling in a fit of rage and falls to his 'death'. This is the start of his deception.

ABILITIES | POWERS:

Excellent Martial Skills - of varying styles.

Excellent Qinggong (轻功) - doesn't leave any footprints or traces behind while traveling. Normally, one would stay silent during the travelling, so as not to lose their vital energy, but Wen Kexing doesn't act this way.

Medical Skills - He has some form of medical skills. He methodically sucked out all the poisoned blood in Zhou Zishu's arm and treated his wounds skillfully. Knows how to use incense and music to heal.

Storytelling - is fond of telling stories and poems that he has either read, or makes up himself.

Exceptional Hearing

Strong swimmer

Excellent cook

Exceptional musical ability - can weave spells into his playing the Xiao

PERSONALITY:
Kexing likes to say he's called 'Philosopher Wen' by those who know him, and that he's a good man despite his appearance. He's cheerfully social when not behind closed doors, happy to play or tease, and enjoys quoting famous poems or stories to add credibility or general enjoyment to his role as someone good. He loves eating and drinking and wearing beautiful clothes - and can be generous with those three things when it comes to those he likes. He likes to tease and flirt, is unashamedly gay and has been known to frequent brothels that cater to those like him. He playfully brags that he knows true beauty just by studying someone's shoulder blades, be they male or female. He tends to surround himself with beauty and cleanliness.

He's willing to spend money (his own, or Zhou Zishu when they're together) to cause chaos, especially when bored or when chaos is part of his plans for revenge. He's not afraid to use people to get what he wants or needs for this revenge, either those who work for him, or oblivious people all around him. He's even happy (especially happy) if it involves killing or murder of those he either doesn't care about, or are part of the Five Lakes Alliance (those responsible for his parents' exile and murders). However it's rare for him to get his own hands dirty, as blood disgusts him. If blood gets on his skin, he'll wash it off (or have someone else who knows him do it for him) but if it gets on his clothes, he'll cut the soiled section off or get a whole new outfit rather than bother to clean it.

He's much more likely to work in the dark to get his underlings to do the dirty work for him. Manipulations and threats and rewards are all for the taking if they do what he wants. He will take one of two visible roles, however. One, a backseat view where he only observes, claiming he just wants to watch how Heros work! Or he'll act in a way that gives him the appearance of being good and kind, even protecting people if he's been dragged into their story or he feels they are innocent. Even those he's close to tend to get used in some way.

He is jealously protective of those he considers 'his', to the point of actually being politely rude, dismissive, or out right inserts himself between them and the intruder until the intruder gives up and leaves, or he's convinced to let them stay for one reason or another. Though there are precious few he'll listen to even when presented with logic that associating with the newcomer/intruder will further his goals.

Most of Kexing's plans go just as predicted. When they miss, however, and there are unexpected casualties, he sometimes feels remorse and has been known to act in a way to seek forgiveness. Two important instances are with Chengling, a boy who's sect was destroyed due to Kexing's manipulations - he only felt bad because he grew close to the boy. And the Four Sages' deaths were unintentional, as he'd hoped to meet them and observe them for a while. As he caused their deaths, he tried to give them a grave by digging it with a broken sword with his own hands. Most frequent though is how often he helps Zhou Zishu (manipulates him into revealing information, then spends his own energy to heal him, among other instances). These mistakes slowly teach and help him to grow, however, and it's remarked that the more he's around Zhou Zishu, the more he seems like a human.

Kexing is, however, fragile, broken, and more than a little crazy at times due to his childhood and drinking a potion to be brought into the Ghost Valley that causes the drinker to forget their obsession. In his case, he was supposed to forget all the details of his parents' murder. As he's fought the potion, he gets frequent severe headaches to the point of occasionally slipping into comas. He believes he's successfully fought it so remembers all the details of their exile then murder, but eventually finds out that he was mistaken.

SAMPLE: Open game thread

INVENTORY:
-Robes he's wearing, including hair ornaments
-Fan (steel ribs and sharp paper, aka war fan)
-Xiao (type of flute, this one is made of jade)
-Small pouch of generic medicinal herbs

NOTES: Nope! All is golden with this canon point :3

IF ACCEPTED, WOULD YOU WANT A PLOT-LIGHT OR PLOT-HEAVY CUSTOM INTRO? Light please!

Thank you for your application and notes!

ADMIN

When you have a second, have a last read through the game rules and comment to the TAKEN LIST.

Join

eastbound,

lostcompass,

westwhere. Feel free to make an OOC intro post on

lostcompass, if you want!

All game-relevant updates will be posted on

lostcompass, but you can also consider following

eastbound. There is an informal optional game discord server — you’ll get a private message with an invite, once you comment to the Taken List.

Like it says on the application page tin — you can have a maximum of two characters in the game, and you can invite one new person in per month.

If you’re not already served on that front, we have some custom codes to help you set up a character inbox or permissions post. Both are entirely optional, and feel free to customise at will!

Your character is exempted from activity requirements this month.

We have kicked off Arc II: Taravast, and our latest plot developments are here.

Since Jon has effectively died once (but been revived), you may need to treat him as more sensitive to the summons and compulsions of Eastbound’s undead lieges. Some of the middling local undead might sometimes also mistake him for one of their own. This will be outlined in relevant events.

NOTES

INTRO: Jon’s story begins two weeks prior, when he wakes farther out east, in a desert encampment. He is greeted by the very Merchant, who provides him with a communication and translation device and takes him through the story so far. He explains Jon is a newcomer to a world where contingents of undead battle the living and each other for absolute rule, and that otherworldly strangers have been weaponised in the conflict. For both their sake and that of his world, the Merchant seeks to take all newcomers east, to long-buried portals that might deliver them to their respective homes.

Sadly, Jon’s must first travel west, to help save others like him from the political games of magical citadel Taravast. The Merchant entrusts him with two keys: the first key must be handed over to party members Wrath and Wen Qing, with the following note: Seek the walls of Bonaccorso’s library. The second key, the Merchant says, is currently for safe-keeping.

Jon is supplied with some coin and arrangements for fresh swap horses at various points over his ten-day travel. He must ride furiously and discreetly. His travels will see him often encounter the retreating retinue of the Huntress and the Beastmaster, who recently stormed Taravast. They are followed by the wealth of the Beastmaster’s xenomorphic and blood-thirsting animalist creatures, all of which yet live. The Huntress is meanwhile escorted by undead and nightmares. They are heading east, unlikely to seek out diversions. Still, their beasts hunger, and the canyon-like passageways to Taravast are often narrow and deceptively still. I leave it at your discretion how troubled Jon is in his journey. By the tail-end of it, he attracts the attention of this beautiful boy, who gives chase with a couple of his friends all the way back to Taravast. Jon can either defeat them alone or, once closer to Taravast, he can ask the help of the party within (you can arrange something in Jon’s OOC intro post or have him do a network post, if you think you want to explore that).

If the large creature wounds anyone to the point of spilling blood, they will become marked as quarry of the Hunt — please let me know if you decide to take that route.

Within Taravast, Jon receives no team assignment. He is introduced by the sorceress Karsa — the Merchant’s subordinate, who assists the group locally — as an envoy of the Merchant. He is given a surprisingly wide berth by Taravast's and breezy access (mostly) everywhere. He is allowed to sleep in don Bonaccorso Spina’s own wing of the Palace of the Doxe.

Karsa can also explain the piazza — a style of communicating to the city at large, with an eye to influence public opinion.

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