April Catch-All | OTA (with one exception)

[bloodandlife]

🧙 WHO: Zagreus and you! (in one case, just Zagreus and Thanatos)
⚔️️ WHAT: Carryover from TDM if you want, elemental magic training, settling in, quests, shenanigans, etc.
🕒 WHEN: the month of April
🗺️ WHERE: City of Camelot and quest locations
⚠️ WARNINGS: CW: arachnophobia (for C, spider quest), potential violence?

A. Boons of Avalon [OTA]

Here, in the great City of Camelot, wide-eyed Prince Zagreus rediscovers what it is to wield the power of the earthly elements. This time, however, it is not the blessings of Olympus that grant him this power, but the magic of Avalon itself. Perhaps this, in and of itself, is a blessing, for if the ever-training prince's divine family were to see him now, they would no doubt be quite disappointed with his progress.

"Hey, give me a break. This is all very new to me, you know."

The flaming skull floating nearby has no shoulders to shrug, but Zagreus can practically feel how little it cares about his excuses. The worst part is, he's already learned that no one around him can hear the obnoxious thing unless the skull wills it. More often than not, it wills no such thing, preferring to taunt him privately.

"Can't believe the old man followed me even here." Zagreus shakes his head. "Never mind him. Let's try this again."

Anyone nearby watching him train might well wonder what exactly it is he's trying to do, since he doesn't seem to be calling down lightning or conjuring ice or any such thing. Instead, he's standing still and staring down at his bare feet with narrow-eyed concentration. What's he doing...?

B. A Bottle of Nectar...Sort Of [Closed to Thanatos]

Zagreus has gotten the impression that there are others here from places that aren't much like Camelot, but he hasn't yet run into anyone other than himself who's never even seen rain before. And wow, is there a lot of it to see!

And so far, no one's told him what an umbrella is, so he's just absolutely soaking wet everywhere he goes. He has, however, managed to find a tavern and ask about nectar. The bartender gives him a strange look and says if it's flowers or fairies he's looking for, this is not the place. It takes a few exchanges, but Zagreus manages to get across what it is he actually wants: a bottle of alcohol. Then he has to explain that he doesn't have any money yet, but he's working on it!

Which is why he's now spent one eight-hour day washing dishes, sweeping floors, and wiping down tables at this tavern. It's not so bad, as jobs go. Much preferable to his old job, that's for sure. When he's finished, he has enough money for a bottle of what's called 'mead' with some leftover.

With that done, he hurries back to the inn to find Thanatos, knocking on his door as he drips rainwater all over everything. "Hey, Than! It's me, Zagreus. You in there?"

C. Vital Venoms [OTA]

Trudging through the mud and still inexplicably refusing to wear shoes, intrepid Zagreus has at least discovered the wonders of raincoats and sports one now, as he approaches the spider caves to complete his quest - with something like a plan in mind.

"I don't need shoes," Zagreus mutters back to the skull floating alongside him, cheerily burning even under the deluge of rain. "They're uncomfortable."

Zagreus has never seen a spider before, but he has seen plenty of venomous vermin, so he has some idea of what to expect. Unfortunately, he's only ever dealt with those vermin by destroying them, so he falls back on the only way he knows to capture live still-moving prey: fishing.

He comes to stand near a cave entrance, peering into the gloom inside with his sword strapped to his back and his new fishing rod in one hand, resting against his shoulder. Before he can bait the hook and cast his line, though, he spots someone else approaching the cave, hopefully with the same quest in mind. He gives them a smile from underneath the hood of his red raincoat.

"Hey there, mate. Are you here for the venom, too? If so, what do you say we work together? Or, if you're here for something else, maybe we could help each other out."

D. TDM Carryover

(If anyone wants to continue a thread from the TDM, feel free to carry it over here!)

E. Wildcard | OTA

If you have any other ideas for something you want to do with Zagreus, just drop a starter here or hit me up at thessjuli!

Comments

A

[groundzeroes]

[He's no combatant, but Rei occasionally makes his way to the training grounds just to watch everyone else and keep a finger on the pulse of the newbies. That, plus the second-magic-type hubbub going around and his familiar's pestering for practice, has brought him to Observe.

Zagreus, though... is... ....standing in the same spot, and has been... for quite a while.

................

...Finally Rei's curiosity gets the better of him.]

All right there, kid?

[bloodandlife]

[Zagreus looks up with a mild start.]

Hm? Oh, sure, right as rain.

[Was that just sarcastic enough to clearly be on purpose? ...yes.]

Sorry if you've been trying to get my attention, sir. Just trying to adjust to this magic business, here. I can set things on fire just fine, apparently, but subtler work is not my forte.

[groundzeroes]

[Rei tries not to startle when Zagreus looks up, but he can't help the surprise that crosses his face at those eyes of his. Good lord. It's not the dark sclera that grabs him-- Rei just hasn't seen a pair of red and green headlights under a shock of messy black hair since he last locked eyes with his son.

Rei's kid would never call him sir, though-- so the perception drops quickly. He can't help but chuckle a little as he recovers, passing it off as amusement at Zagreus's predicament... but really, it's just funny what can get to you when you least expect it.]

I see, I see. Just like getting a hold of finer motor skills, I imagine. [Zagreus mentioned fire, so...] You got saddled with elemental magic, I take it? What 'subtleties' are you trying to achieve?

[bloodandlife]

[Seeing the surprise on the man's face, Zagreus blinks back at him - but only for a moment, before he thinks he understands.]

Ah, it's the eyes, isn't it? Must be particularly strange here, I keep getting reactions like that.

[He's starting to feel just a little self-conscious about it, if he's being honest, but at least no one's commented on the color of his blood yet. ...not that he's spilled any. Yet.]

Got it in one. And I'm trying to get my feet back to their usual burning state without incinerating myself. But so far it's mostly been all or nothing.

C

[colchismagecraft]

It's a rather suspicious looking woman who approaches the cave not long after him, an equally suspect twisted dagger tucked away in the folds of her robes.

Caster had been waiting for a good chance to harvest some venom from these spiders for a little while, but having all the physical strength of wet cardboard meant that she needed to wait on someone who looked as if they could hold their own in a fight to show up first. That way, she could focus on backline support.

With that in mind, this person looked like the perfect meat shield ally to help her out. And he seemed friendly enough, which was always helpful.

"I am, yes...and I have no objections if you're content working with me."

[bloodandlife]

"I am indeed." In Zagreus' mind, this woman looks less suspicious and more like she'd fit in pretty well with the chthonic gods, so her mysterious appearance barely gets a blink out of him.

"My name's Zagreus. Er...I don't suppose you happen to have a plan, do you? I brought this fishing rod, but to be honest, I've never tried to catch anything but fish with it."

...he seems to be 100% serious about the fact that he was planning to fish for spiders.

[colchismagecraft]

"Zagreus...?" That name definitely sounded familiar, but she couldn't quite place it immediately. Where had she heard it before? It must have been from when she was still alive. "Can I ask...are you from Greece, originally?"

It didn't help that Zagreus' origin in myth were unclear and varied, so even for someone from the Age of Gods, she didn't pick up on it immediately.

"I go by 'Caster', here. As for a plan, is that thing sturdy enough to hold one of them still? We'd be better placed fashioning a net of sorts or putting them to sleep."

Why would you fish for spiders?

A

[wolfhunted]

[Robyn usually goes out to the forest to practice her magic, so when she goes to the training grounds it's usually for target practice with her crossbow instead. She's accompanied by her wolf familiar this time as she makes her way there, and it's not long before she spots Zagreus with...some kind of floating skull thing next to him. Weird.]

Are you practicin' magic? [She doesn't know why else he'd be concentrating so hard on his feet like that.]

[bloodandlife]

[Zagreus doesn't look up at first, only partially registering the voice speaking to him.]

I am...well, I'm trying to, anyway.

[Wait, he knows that voice. He lifts his head and smiles.]

Robyn! Good to see you, mate. And who's this?

[He comes closer, looking at her wolf with curiosity. The burning skull floats along with him.]

[wolfhunted]

That's Rowena! She's me familiar.

[Rowena simply snorts and shakes herself a little to get some rainwater off her. No offense to Zagreus, she's just rather quiet in general.]

Is that skull yours?

B, ofc

[inevitablerest]

Zagreus is lucky to find Thanatos still there, as he doesn't spend too much time in that relatively small room save to get the sleep he needs. He's only there now due to the rain and a very strong desire to not be soaked to the skin.

A desire that he sees, upon opening the door, is not something that Zagreus shares.

"Yes, I'm--" And for a moment, he finds himself robbed of words as he takes in the dripping wet prince standing at his door. He pinches the bridge of his nose and closes his eyes, letting out a slow sigh. "Come in, I'll get you a towel."

At some point he should probably highlight to Zagreus just how many frailties mortals have, including getting sick when they get wet and cold.

[bloodandlife]

To Zagreus' small amount of credit, at least he's wearing the jacket Thanatos bought him. On the other hand, he still refuses to wear shoes, so there's that.

"Thanks." He follows Thanatos inside and closes the door, just sort of...dripping water all over the floor where he stands. "First I get dunked in a lake, then rained on constantly--is all this Avalon's way of trying to make me feel at home? Next I expect I'll fall into a river..."

When his friend returns with the towel, he pulls the bottle of mead out of his jacket pocket and holds it out, almost as though in exchange. "Look what I found! It's called mead. It's this world's version of nectar. This one's for you."

[inevitablerest]

The prince will be used to the expression on Thanatos' face when he offers him a gift by now. A heavy mix of confusion, exasperation and something not-quite-disapproval.

"Really, Zag? You don't need to go about buying me gifts." He doesn't think he's ever going to be able to accept things like that graciously. But he... takes the bottle, in any case, and gives it a look as he huffs out a soft breath through his nose.

"... Thank you, I suppose."

Nailed it.

He looks Zagreus up and down, shaking his head at the state of him. "Make sure you dry off properly. If you get sick you're not going to enjoy it."

A

[everydayeveryway]

Adelle has watched for a moment. Her arms are folded and her blue eyes have a curious look to them, though she typically looks thoughtful. She throws her head back, her short ponytail flipping back over her shoulder, as she watches Zagreus. Watches him and the skull, wreathed in flames, which must be his familiar. That seems like quite the familiar, Adelle thinks.

She steps over after a moment, lifting a hand. Her fingers curl into a slight wave as she approaches him.

"Are you practicing your magic?" Adelle asks. Her nose wrinkles a little as she considers. She should do more of that. "I can't quite tell what sort of magic you're doing, just by watching..."

Which, in truth, makes her all the more curious.

[bloodandlife]

Zagreus looks up and gives the newcomer a rueful smile. "I could hardly expect you to, considering the sort of magic I'm currently doing is 'none whatsoever.'"

He gives her a little wave in return. "The name's Zagreus. And I am practicing, though it occurs to me that trying to practice with fire might be a bit of a lost cause in a downpour like this." He glances out at the rain and scratches at the back of his head with one hand. "Maybe I should try water instead."

[everydayeveryway]

"Adelle," Adelle says, with a smile and just a little bow. It isn't too formal; it's a little relaxed and playful, really.

"Ah, elemental magic?" she asks. "I heard about that! I suppose fire in a rainstorm would be hard. Maybe it's an advanced technique?" she asks, with a wink. She looks around -- up at the rain -- then back at him. "Water seems like it would be easier."

A

[suetekh]

Set pays very little attention to people around him. Whatever Zagreus is doing matters very little to the god of the desert and storms (and many other things). However, what does matter to Set is Zagreus speaking at all. Like he's having a conversation. Set looks around and sees nobody, assuming that Zagreus is talking to himself.

Which is even more pointless to him?

"Talking to yourself isn't going to make anything happen. Your talking is probably ruining whatever you're attempting so be quiet."

Blunt and rude, Set's just very straightforward in his way of speaking.

[bloodandlife]

"Hm?" Zagreus looks up at the newcomer, then glances over at the skull with a sour look on his face. "Now look what you've done." The skull, predictably, has nothing to say.

"Sorry if I've disturbed you. I wasn't talking to myself, I was talking to my familiar." He gestures toward the fiery skull. "He likes to speak so that only I can hear him. Just to be infuriating, I'm sure."

[suetekh]

Set looks at the skull, almost as if waiting to hear him even if Zagreus had just said that the skull only spoke to him. But when he hears nothing, Set moves on.

"Then ignore him and don't answer back. Isn't it that simple?"

C

[omnicrafter]

Emet-Selch had mentioned wanting the venom for his research. It's supposed to be a surprise for him this time, but she may very well keep some of it for herself, just in case it's needed in the future for an antidote or some such. So she resolves to try collecting it on her own, not wanting a repeat of the last time she dragged him and Hythlodaeus out for such things; besides, it'll make for a decent test of her new abilities, at least in how well she can mimic her original ones.

When Zagreus approaches her, her ears perk up. "The silk might be nice, but it'd take more than a little bit to get any use out of it," she says, crossing her arms. "Anyway... I don't mind teaming up if you can hold your own, but what exactly is that for?" A gesture at the fishing rod in his hand.

[bloodandlife]

"Don't worry about me, I can hold my own just fine. In fact, I'm practically a professional giant vermin exterminator at this point. Er, not that we plan to exterminate the spiders, of course." He turns to point an accusing finger at the fiery skull floating beside him.

Zagreus lifts the fishing rod to look at it. "For catching spiders. Or at least, that was the plan. Granted, I don't know what they eat, so I'm not sure what to bait them with, but a little trial and error never hurt anyone."

[omnicrafter]

Irhya just kind of looks at him, puzzled. "Spiders eat smaller bugs. Or... perhaps anything that gets caught in its web, if we're unlucky," she adds carefully, unsure how much of a taste for people these ones have. "Though I guess if we're both pros, it's no problem."

But first, if she's going to humor the idea, they need to find bait that a huge spider would go for. "We need a large insect," she says with a gesture. "A... very large insect. There must be some around, or they wouldn't make their nests here, right? Perhaps further in the cave..."

A glance at the burning skull. "Would it suffice as a torch, you think?"

C

[foolaround]

[ of course kotone's here for the quest.

she's fished a fair bit. it's a fairly cheap hobby back home, especially without your own gear. so here she is with a fishing rod in one hand and a long net in the other, a spear strapped to her back. she waves at zagreus, blinking at the skull even as an odd, almost frankensteinian-looking rabbit with patchwork skin and fur bounds at her heels.

she puts on a practiced, winning smile as she gets closer, looking at him from under her own orange raincoat. ]

You got it right first try! Sounds great. What's your name?

[bloodandlife]

Well, in that case, I'll pat myself on the back for a job well done. [He grins a bit.] And it looks like we both had the same idea--

[Zagreus nods toward her fishing rod.]

--so obviously that means it must have been a good one! I'm Zagreus. You?

[foolaround]

[ oh, she likes this guy already. and that name isn't... unfamiliar, exactly. hm. ]

Kotone! Ready to show those spiders what we've got, Zagreus? [ she swishes the net once for emphasis. she's raring to go go go. ]