OOC
Minecraft Username: Spiritscribe
Are you at least 18 years old?: Yes
Have you read the rules?: You bet!
(Optional) How did you hear about Avalore?:
From the comments on Redlyne’s “Exploring Forgotten Minecraft Servers 2.” There were a lot of people from HollowWorld talking about the server, and Avalore was mentioned. I didn't play on HW, but the concept sounded amazing, and I really like the structure that I've seen on your site.
(Max. 1) Were you referred by someone? If so, please provide their in-game username: No
(Optional) Introduce yourself if you’d like, as well as any creations you want to share (e.g. art, builds, skins):
My name is Faye Spiritscribe (she/her). I've been playing TTRPGs since I was 9 and Minecraft since 2012. Within the world of TTRPGs, I’ve played D&D from aD&D 2e to 5e, Pathfinder 1 & 2, as well as several indie games such as World of Wyldrvir, and At The Monarch’s Gate. I also helped playtest another indie game called Hearth: Fight to Thrive. Within the world of Minecraft, I tend to find designs online and recolor them or make tweaks to them to fit what I need. I mostly struggle with interiors, but I am practicing. What I lack in serendipitous creativity, I make up for it with hard work, efficiency, and extensive game knowledge. I’d say I’m a stronger roleplayer than minecrafter.
—
In-Character
Read the following prompt:
The rhythmic lull of hoofbeats are a marching drum to the small group of pioneers and variety of folk you have found yourself amongst, packed into a wobbling wagon. The rolling plains of the Southern Reach and a clear sky stretch out all around you, the buzz of excited chatter a dull wash in your ears as your mind strays to your former life and what has led you here to new lands.
“Nervous?”
You blink, returning to the present moment. A kindly older woman sat near you is smiling warmly with a crinkle to her eyes.
“I can tell it’s your first time. Still remember mine,” she flashes a grin and leans in.
“Tell me my dear, why have you come to the Reach?”
How do you respond (in character)? (250 word minimum - please make sure to include at least three references to our lore in your response, with two coming from different pages in the Compendium. Two of the three selected should also be in-depth, avoid simply name-dropping lore terms. Tie the terms into your character's backstory. Why are they important to them?)
Aralei stared at the floorboards between her feet. Although she physically sat within the creaky wagon, her mind hadn’t quite caught up to her yet. Inside, she was still back at home, in Rulan, taking care of her ailing father and her two younger siblings. Her father was once a prolific stonemason who was well known for his speed and accuracy, but decades of backbreaking labour and inhaling the dust and sand rendered him a shadow of what he once was. She felt guilty for leaving.
“I said, is this your first time, dear?” the older woman repeated.
“Huh? Oh. I’m sorry. Uh, yeah.”
“What brings you to the Reach? You seem a little lost.” She squinted at Aralei, trying to see through her absent-mindedness.
“Oh. Well, I’m a librarian.”
Aralei had studied hard to become a librarian. Coming from a long line of Arsa Sidhe masons and farmers, she was expected to become one, or a housewife, herself. But she was born with a wicked-fast intellect and an undying hunger for everything mysterious and unknown. From a young age, she knew she never wanted to work the land the way her ancestors have for generations. In school, she learned all about the Valkian Realm. She had memorized the genealogy of the King-Emperor to the 14th generation (names started getting confusing for her past that point), both the maternal and paternal branches. And she had learned about The Enemies, the Aedall. But being a family of elves living mere inches from the wall, she couldn’t help but wonder about her ancestry; she wondered if, and when, her ancestors gave up their home and culture for the only life that she now knew.
“A librarian? You’re heading the wrong way, love. Ought you be heading North?”
Aralei chuckled nervously under her breath. “Yeah, probably. At least, that’s what my dad thought I oughta do.” She started to properly wake up from her day-dreaming. “But… Ok. Let me explain.”
Aralei adjusted how she was sitting in the cart and looked towards the woman.
“Ok. So. Yes, I should probably be heading North into the kingdom. That would absolutely be the safer option. But the truth is, there isn’t much for me there.”
The woman eyed Aralei, a little confused, but mostly curious.
“You see, if I were to head deeper into the Midlands, sure I could probably find a job as some faceless, nameless scribe for some noble family, or maybe even the King-Emperor if I were to get exceedingly lucky. But I want to make a name for myself. I want to be part of something great, and not just as an assistant to great people.”
The woman nodded sagely. “And you think The Spire is where you’ll find your greatness?”
“No. Well, maybe. I figured that, with all the hubbub of people moving into the Reach,” Aralei was starting to get excited, “they’d be too busy building their homes, farming their land, working their shops, and just… going about life and might neglect documenting the history of their lives.” She stood up in the cart, impassioned, but quickly sat back down when the wagon hit a bump.
“Do you understand how big this is? The Aedall simply vanish out of thin air, and people are mass migrating into the Reach to start brand new lives. I know, at least for me, there’s nothing in Rulan anyways, unless I wanted to be a farmer or a mason. And do I look like I could be a farmer or a mason?” Aralei held up her wispy arms for emphasis.
The woman cackled. “Now, now, don’t fall off the cart.”
Aralei took a breath to regain her composure.
“This is a once in a lifetime, maybe even once in a millenia opportunity.” She said, stressing the unprecedented nature of this event.
She paused for a moment.
Her mind once again wandered back to Rulan, and her family. Secretly, this was a chance to finally find the answers to her family. Why Rulan? Why settle just outside The Wall, if her family wasn’t from the Reach? And if her family wasn’t from there, where did they come from? Where did she come from?
She paused for a moment. The woman interrupted.
“Well now, you’re awfully ambitious. How about this…” she reached into her pocket and produced a set of cards. “I could read your fortune if you like?”
Aralei beamed and sat up straight at the offer. “Oh yes please, very much.”
The woman chuckled at Aralei’s excitement and began shuffling.
“Alright dear. Now. When were you born?”
“The 8th of Skybright.”
“Ah, I see. Under the Siren. How often do people cling to you?”
Aralei reflected on the question. She hadn’t thought of it before.
“I mean, it happens, I guess? I make fast friends. I’ve had a few people think we were closer than I thought we were, but I figured that happens to everyone.”
“It happens, but you’re especially predisposed to such things. Let’s see what the cards have to say about you.”
She stopped shuffling, cut the deck in half, placed the bottom half on top, and flipped the top card.
“Temptation, reversed.” She noted. “You carry a burden. This journey doesn’t appear to be easy for you. Left something behind?”
Aralei shifted backward in her seat and slouched in on herself, feeling the pain of being called out. “Yes… My family.”
The woman clicked her tongue a couple times. “Family’s hard to leave behind. Do you still feel responsible for them?”
“Absolutely. But I needed to leave.”
“Hmm. Well, let’s look at the next one.”
She shuffled the cards once more, and drew a card.
“Chrysalis reversed. It appears the cards agree that change is necessary. Though you’re going through more change than you bargained for.”
Aralei looked off to the side, away from the woman. “It’s… proving to be a bigger task than I thought, yes.”
“I won’t make you suffer too long, dear. Last one.” She smiled warmly and shuffled again.
“Aurochs. Not a bad card to end on.”
“What’s that one mean?”
“It means you will face further challenges, but you will be rewarded for your efforts.”
Aralei’s face scrunched in dissatisfaction. “I figured that already.”
The woman cackled again. “Yes, the cards don’t always tell you hidden insights. Sometimes they’re quite obvious.”
A brief silence fell on the two, which Aralei ended.
“Could you… could you teach me how to do that?”
—
Character Name: Aralei Stardreamer
Character Race: Arsa Sidhe (Elf)
Character Age: 28
Brief Physical Description: 6’6” (200cm) and quite slender. Long pale blonde hair that goes down past her waist. Pale skin with the slightest tinge of purple. Lavender eyes. She always looks like her mind is elsewhere, even when focused. Clothes are almost always blue or black. Loves to accent both with either gold or silver.
