OOC Minecraft Username: aliboce Are you at least 18 years old?: Yes! Have you read the rules? (Link): Yes! (Optional) Were you referred by someone? If so, who: Hyscope (Optional) Introduce yourself if you’d like, as well as any creations you want to share (e.g. art, builds, skins): Hello hello! My name is Alice and I’m mostly a writer—taking my first step into Minecraft roleplay here. — 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)? (150 words 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?) Ah… The Reach—that’s right, the Reach! Laid bare now, and all of its bounties alongside it. Prized herbs, lost recipes, and… A toothy grin breaks out on the woman’s face, an unmistakable glint now present in her eye as she’s called back to her purpose. “My dear lady,” she places a hand on her chest, ever theatrical, “I have come to this land in the pursuit of culinary advancement! What else could there be?” “Magical gardeners growing plants unknown to the wider world, their full potential unmet; creatures of all sorts, whose meat must surely be unlike anything else!” She gesticulates wildly, losing herself in her impassioned speech—eyes cast skyward. “Waterjacks in particular, oh goodness… If I've heard right, they simply must be a delight to the senses when prepared correctly.” Soon, though, her eyes return to her conversational partner. “So, you see, I’ve kicked off from the foundations of home in the Midlands and cast my lot in the Reach! Left all my unwieldy belongings behind—only got some creature comforts on me.” The woman peers into the sack at her side, the unmistakable jingling of glass coming from within as it shifts. Wine bottles, more than a few of them. “Should’ve done this ages ago, really—but, well… You know how it is with guilds. Best thing that ever happened to me was getting kicked out.” She sighs, glances down, and bitterly mutters something to herself, “Damned fools didn’t even know how to soft-boil an egg right.”  There’s a measure of silence, then, after her shifting of tone—only for her usual relaxed air to finally make its return. “In our darkest moments, do you know what we crave most?” She smiles, staring the woman opposite her in the eyes, “A delicious meal. More valuable than any of the Valks’ jewels and gold, you see, for a starved man would happily reject them all in favor of comforting food.” “So, then, I say again—I come to cultivate the most sacred art of them all: cooking!” — Character Name: Avira Agnelli Character Race: Human Character Age: 28 Brief Physical Description: An olive-skinned woman of below-average stature. Her hair, which extends no further than her shoulders and swoops just above her eyes, is the same color as coffee beans. She typically adorns herself in simple, yet fashionable, white dress shirts—though most would find her with an apron over-top.