• Graded • The Maze: Tio

[Pegasus]

1st Vhalar 718

Anthropos apteros for days
Walked whistling round and round the Maze,
Relying happily upon
His temperment for getting on.

Antrhopos Apteros no longer wished to rely on his temperament to get on. Whistling had ceased to give him pleasure and even the bush he'd sighted a hundred times was not entertaining any more.

"I'm doing my best!" complained the bush. "In fairness, it's difficult to be entertaining for any length of time when you're a bush. I'd like to see you try and do better you bloody ingrate!"

Tilting his head to the side, Anthropos Apteros considered what the bush had said.

"You are right, of course. You've always been a good friend to me, bush."

And with a flick of his wrist the bush burst into flames. As he saw it's scream and tasted the flames in front of him, Anthropos Apteros was pleased that, even as he turned it to ash, the bush was both a good friend still and very.. very entertaining.

But when it was gone? Then he was bored again and so, he started a new game.

"I mean, bottom line, innit? Everyone knows."
"Aye, Jim. They do."
"All the weird stuff 'appens 1st Vhalar."
"Aye, Jim. That's right."
"Why would anyone go doing anything risky 1st Vhalar?"
"I dunno, Jim. I really don't
"I wish you'd stop arguing with me..."

The 1st Vhalar 718.

Throughout the history of Scalvoris there was, it was fair to say - a lot of strangeness. However, 1st Vhalar was the trial where the really weird, weirder than usual, weirdest of all things happened. Most people on Scalvoris were extra cautious on 1st Vhalar.

But then. How should one react when an enormous, to the sky, wall of stone appears right in front of you? That was what happened on that particular 1st Vhalar to a group of people all around Scalvoris. A wall of stone with a gap in it - behind which was a choice - of course.

That was what Tio saw that morning. "You know," the sleek and handsome fox said to him; it was standing next to him and looking up at him with amusement in its dark eyes. It's a maze. You need to get to the middle. Someone does, anyhow. Only when someone does will it stop sucking people in."

The fox looked at Tio. There, in front of him on the floor was a notebook. It had the words "Taboo" written on it. "That's you, then, Taboo. Ohh, that seems like a really bad idea you know. I'm Fred. Fred the Fox"

In his hand, there was a mirror.

Behind him, Tio might notice, there was just blank, brick wall.

He had, at this point, only two choices. Left or right.

OOC Info

Welcome to the Seasonal for Vhalar 718 here on Scalvoris!
Things to note!

• It should be noted that Anthropos Apteros, the master of this game, has some strange ideas of what people will find rewarding and / or positive.
• I will post a plot post again this time next week: Sunday 14th October
• However, in between plot posts, you may have a conversation with your companion. If you wish to do that, post and just do a very short, start of a conversation post. Then, I'll edit in my reply and you can speak again. We can keep doing that all week and I'll guarantee at least one edit / reply a day. But it isn't necessary if you choose not to. If you do that remember that you must still meet all must do objectives. If you're asking a question and want an edited-in reply - please make it obvious in your post. Maybe an OOC?
• Please don't control the NPC

Objectives

!

Message from: Must-Do Objectives

The moment that you look in the mirror, you see one other person from this Maze. You can't interact with them in any way. It can be anyone, even someone you've never met before. Pick someone and put that in your next post. Choose a direction. Left or Right Whichever way you go, you'll see a flower. Notice it, and consider why that flower is meaningful to you IC. Make that part of your post. Whichever way you go, you'll notice something out of place. Name it, and consider what it might be doing there. Make that part of your post.

!	Message from: Can Do Objectives
	Sing a song or hum a tune Give your companion a nickname

[Tio Silver]

"... Okay... Guess it's one of those days..."

It wasn't often that Tio found himself at a loss for creative words, but the walls of a humongous, sky scrapping labyrinth popping out of thin air was that special brand of unexpected weirdness that could catch even him by complete suprise. He'd seen pretty much every brand of mystical jiggery here on Scalvoris, from ghost pirates to monster ducks, but nothing quite on the scale of such a titanic structure being conjured out of nowhere! This was a grade beyond his usual class of strangeness; a level of power he hadn't encountered since Cassion's game! And now, as the shock of the unexpected began to fade, Tio felt that same fizzing sensation in his stomach he'd felt a hundred times before; the one that signalled excitement starting to stir within him again at the prospect of an adventure! What had created this maze? Why had it done so? And why had it brought him here? He didn't know, and the thought finding out got his toes wiggling with childish glee! This was going to be so much fun!

When a voice piped up next to him, Tio's head snapped around to locate the source of it and jumped a little when he discovered that it was... a fox? A talking fox? That was awesome! "Hiya Fred! So I'm guessing that you're my partner in this or something? Maybe a guide? Awesome! I always wanted to talk to foxes when I was a kid."

"I am, aye. Partner and guide. And you always could talk to foxes, couldn't you? I'm just the first one to talk back?" Fred, it seemed, had a unique brand of humor. If such it could be called...

He looked back to the entrance into the maze. "So if this maze follows the general point of mazes then I'm going to guess that the really cool stuff, such as whatever created this maze, is in the middle right? I mean you did say it would only stop sucking people in when someone reached the middle."

Tio then applied impeccable logic to the situation and Fred nodded, approvingly. "Right," he said, with a nod of his furry fox-head.

A sharp, wolfish grin crept up on his face. "Alrighty then Fantasic Mr. Fox, I've decided! We're gonna be the first team to reach the middle! It's you and me buddy! LET'S GO!

The creature next to him let out a high pitched whistle of delight. "It's like a wolf-whistle. But a fox!" Fred explained.

With that he grabbed the mirror, which he failed to notice reflected the events going on around Sephira, and the notepad off the floor; then charged forwards into the maze, taking the left turn purely on a whim and surging ahead without really thinking about it. With his adventurous spirit overflowing at this point he didn't even realise that he'd begun to hum an epic tune until he turned the first corner. Once he had, he decided to go with it and broke out into a loud, improvised song.

"Going on an adventure, it's Tio and Fred!
Running off down the labyrinth, chasing destiny's thread!
One is a pirate, the other's a fox!
With the heart of a lion, and the strength of a Fox!"

At the song, Fred looked up at him and his expression was hard to read. "Don't give up the trial job, eh?"

On the road ahead of him a sign reading 'Road ahead closed for construction' came into view, with a rope stretching from either side of it all the way to the walls as if to block entry. It seemed out of place with the rest of the maze, as if it was a part that for some reason was still under construction. Weird, but useful! Perhaps there would be a shortcut in it somewhere that could lead deeper into the maze? With a mighty leap Tio bounded straight over the sign as if it were a hurdle and continued onwards into a patch of land where the road faded away into a strip of grass.

As he ran further through the grass tufts of flowers began to spring up around him. There were all different kinds dotted around, but the most prevalent species seemed to be geranium: and old favourite of his mothers. She'd once told him that that all flowers had a meaning attached to them, and that geranium stood for a trait that was quite prevalent in him: youthful foolishness and folly. He scooped up one such flower as he ran past and stuck it behind his ear.

First edits made - you've discovered that Fred is a touch sarcastic but enthusiastic. If you've got more questions etc, just keep em coming!

[Pegasus]

1st Vhalar 718
Little Sister

"Where am I?" Metaphysics says
No question can be asked unless
It has an answer, so I can
Assume this maze has got a plan..

Antrhopos Apteros slumbered and in his slumbering he dared to dream. His dreams were of beauty and life, love and hope ~ or so he believed them to be. As the rip in reality caught the fevered dreams of the wingless man, it took them and it twisted, experimenting with each one. Science, after all, is an amoral creature and 'what happens if' is an emotionless question.

What happens if you take a mortal who is broken, emotionally, and expose him to the depths of Emea?

Thou shall not fall

... and thus, Antrhopos Apteros was born

What happens if that mortal watches the torture of the one person above all others who he loves?

Thou shall not fear

... and then, his sister joined him

What happens if that mortal is pushed beyond every limit he believes he has and then left, alone and afraid?

Thou shall not die

.But soon, they were both no more...

What happens if his love was so strong that he comes back and exacts vengeance?

Thou shall not kill

... ...

"I think he killed himself, you know"
"Aye,"
"I don't understand though. Why kill her, too?"
"It doesn't make sense"
"She visited him every trial, too"
"Without fail"
"Bloody 1st Vhalar"

The two of them walked, the man and the fox and, as they did Tio heard echoes of a voice - whispers which were not distinguishable, not clearly made out at all.

"This place sets my ears twitching," said Fred, looking around a little but otherwise seeming to be fine, They went left and they came across some beautiful flowers.The geranium was symbolic to Tio, though it appeared to make his fox sneeze. But, before that, it was the construction sign which was really intriguing. It certainly didn't belong here and, as the two of them gazed on it, it .. flickered in and out of reality, juddering and stuttering. But it remained solid to the touch

And sketched on to the sign in a crude drawing was a charcoal sketch of a maze. It was endless and impossible, it ran from one end of the world to the other and met itself where it had started. In the middle of it was ... whatever home looked like to him. That place where comfort and warmth and acceptance lived.

What did home look like?

Still, they walked and then, turning a corner as mazes are wont to do there stood a statue. Made from cut crystal, it seemed, it was exquisite and the Vhalar sun reflected on it, creating a sort of rainbow of colours within it, shifting and swirling in constant change. A beautiful cacophony of shades and hues - but those colours swirled out and around and created a solid wall beyond which they may not - as yet - pass.

The statue was of a being - neither male nor female, nor of any one race, but it held one hand out, as though expecting something specific. Then, from the statue itself came a soft and whispered voice - much like the one they'd been hearing already. Now that they could make out the words, it was a child's voice. A young girl, high pitched and lilting.

"The winding, twisting maze ahead.
Has dangers that could make you dead.
Rewards to make a miser weep
Or answers from the dreamers sleep.

You know that you travel to the middle
To get closer to it, tell me a riddle
If puzzles and riddles are not your path
Tell me a joke, to make me laugh.

If neither of these is meant for me,
Then, I give you option three!
Put your mirror in my hand
And in your way, I no more stand
"

Fred looked at the statue and then looked at Tio. "I really don't think you need the encouragement", he said.


Rewards Achieved Last Round

1. All Must Do Objectives from Round 1 met.
   • I spy with my little eye Someone beginning with S! Sephira is through your mirror. This will have an impact of some kind on one of you.
   • I follow directions You went left! The directions you take will have an impact on a final reward.
   • Wake up and smell the flowers Geranium chosen! Reward at the end of the thread.
   • That looks odd! A "still under construction"! Reward at the end of the thread
2. All Can Do Objectives from Round 1 met.
   • Ho Hum and Tra La Laaa! Tio chose to hum AND sing. Two positive consequence at the end of the thread.
   • Is this friendship? I think so! Nickname given! Positive consequence at the end of the thread!

OOC Info

Things to note!

• I will post a plot post again this time next week: Sunday 21st October
• However, in between plot posts, you may have a conversation with your companion - this can be done once a day for as many of the days as you wish.
• You may also ask the statue up to 3 questions. These can be all in one post or one, then another
• Please don't control the NPC

Objectives

!	Message from: Must-Do Objectives
	Answer the statue (joke, riddle, hand over the mirror, something else...) Describe the "home" that you see at the middle of the maze

!	Message from: Can Do Objectives
	Tell your companion a story as you walk

[Tio Silver]

As he and Fred charged down the grassy lane of the maze, Tio was surprised to find that the same construction sign he'd vaulted over at the beginning of the patch had reappeared somehow at the other end; this time flickering in and out of reality like a reflection on running water. He slowed down to a stop as he approached to examine it, and furrowed his brow in thought as he registered what appeared to be a map scrawled across it in charcoal. As he studied it a grin grew across the yludih's lips as he realized just what it was he was looking at a map of: the maze! Now this was handy! Plucking his magical chicken feather quill out of his bag, Tio hurriedly copied down the sketch in his notepad.

When he came to copy down the centre of the map, Tio paused for a moment when he realized that the charcoal map had a sketch there that looked suspiciously like... his stable? Yes it was definitely his Windwing stable, complete with three tiny drawings of Wren, Emma and Deliah! And, he noted with a twinge of irritation, the dog. The words 'Home sweet home' were written below it in abysmal handwriting

"Huh... I wonder why that's there." He muttered to Fred, genuinely confused by the drawing. His home was, in his opinion, his lovely isolated castle sticking out of the sea; far away from any prying eyes who might want to steal his treasure. Sure he was all on his own there, but it was the place where he stored all his lovely valuables. That's what a home was right? The stable was just a secret hideaway he kept his loot in, that just happened to double as a great place for his three adorable wards to live.

"Because it's where you feel is home, you idiot," the Fox said, softly. He looked at where Tio was looking, but seemed to be seeing something different. "Not where you live, but where you want to be, where your heart is." Glancing up at Tio then, the Fox shrugged. "It's where you'd run if you were hurt. Where the people you love and who love you are. I thought you lot were supposed to be clever."

Once the drawing was complete Tio headed off again, walking this time so that he could study his map and try to spot a route through the maze. "So if we started at around this part here, then right now we must be... here? Or here?" He frowned. "I should probably mention at this point that my navigation skills are pretty terrible. When I was a kid I went out to buy some bread once; ended up wandering into the middle of the next villages theatre mid performance. Fun day."

"Well," said Fred with a grin, as a Fox I have an excellent sense of direction." He also had a lot of teeth. "And I can tell you that none of this place makes any sense at all. I don't think directions or maps are going to cut it you know."

They rounded the next corner, coming face-to-face with a statue that whispered to him a rhyming poem. Fred made his rather snarky comment, and Tio clutched at his chest in a melodramatic gesture of mock hurt. "Sir, you wound me! I never need encouragement to do anything, and I'd never let a lack of it stop me either! Well you know what, I think I'll go for a riddle." He looked over to the statue and shot it a challenging smirk. "Alrighty then, how about this? How do you make the number one disappear by adding to it?"

Edits made. Sorry for missing yesterday!

[Pegasus]

1st Vhalar 718
This Round, You're Somewhere Else!
HERE!!!!

[Pegasus]

Review!

Tio

Overview

Well, what can I say? Tio is such a fun pc and I enjoy him very much. It's been a delight to see him in all of the seasonals you've done and I love how unerringly true to him you are. Awesome work.

Points

XP: 15 (not for magic)

Renown: 5

Loot

1 x NPC
1 x Mirror
1 x Notebook

Knowledge

Discipline: When the unusual has become mundane
Discipline: The sensation of excitement at what is to come.
Interrogation: Questioning a talking fox.
Investigation: It's hard to investigate something that doesn't make sense
Rhetoric: Constructing a rhyme on the spot.
Singing: Off key still counts as singing.