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    1. sam4books 10 yrs ago

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I think I died and went to heaven 8'D
Coolios :D

Anyone else?
"So...who will go?"

The sun shined brightly on a rusty yacht carrying upon its back a congregation of bloodbenders whose ages ranged from fifteen to fifty years old. The old yacht was bought second handed off an equally old boat trader that exchanged war ships on the island that was once the Air Temple of Republic City. They had to patch it up a bit before they could take it out to sea; little leaks, pipes in need of fixing, some insulation, paint jobs, that sort of thing. The leader of the congregation had only bought it for a low price, so such a needed fix-up was natural.

So far, it had been running fine. Sure there were a few points where some members of the merry band of bloodbenders had honestly thought the ship was totaled. There were some waves that rocked against the ship's side a little bit too hard. It was fine though, they were safe, and they were sailing towards a new world, a land that they could call home.

A couple members of the merry band have already voiced concerns, most of them happened to be about food and water. It was clear nobody wanted to fall so quickly to cannibalism, a sentiment their leader agreed on. Luckily, a member of their team knew how to fish, and she promptly taught everyone on the crew how to knit nets and cook fish meat. Their first day of fishing went a bit shaky. One of them accidentally let go of the net and they had to knit and entirely new one. Otherwise, they have managed to have at least one meal for everyone on every day of their journey thus far. For water they sent down a bucket, before bring it up and using filtration to purify the seawater. In general, it was smooth sailing.

Baqwis Feng, for all extensive purposes, felt pretty fortunate. He had managed to fall in on what could be viewed as "the right crowd", and had escaped the obligations expected of him by a corrupt home nation. Now all he had to do was help his companions find a permanent place.

They were well on their way too, until a hawk dropped a heavy message on them from the sky. Truly nobody saw it coming.

"How did they know about us? Hell, how did they know where we were?" A concerned member of the gang voiced. All the other bloodbenders sounded their agreement. Baqwis stayed quiet, not sure whether he should be excited or scared. Their wise and glorious leader, Datu, didn't seem at all worried. In fact, he appeared more than determined. Perhaps he had planned for them to join the Jasmine Dragons from the beginning?

"Worry not, my friends. We are not too far from Roku's Island remember. It is very possible that there were some hawks traveling north looking to recruit any bloodbender. Let us be thankful they chose us, and not the servants of the tyrant Master Ro."

Everyone had to agree, that it was a stroke of luck that the invitation fell into their hands. Most of them visibly shuddered, with thoughts of the world being liberated by one of Master Ro's lackeys. That would only serve to make the world worse than it already was.

"This is a glorious opportunity for us." Datu continued, holding out the silver colored token before him so they could all see the dragon insignia on it. "Which is why it is important that we choose who among us will be our representative. As we all know, there is a certain ire that exists against us bloodbenders." This spurned mutterings among the group. Many of them knew the stereotypes. "Bloodthirsty, Warmongerers, Cannibals, Violent, Evil, Barbaric." One of them had to walk back inside the cabin in order to avoid crying in front of their crewmates. Everyone was on edge now. They knew that this could mean the acceptance of bloodbenders in popular society, society not controlled by the Dark Avatar that is. It didn't matter who or what took them in, as long as it wasn't inherently evil. To them, the Jasmine Dragons was the closest thing to the last pure Avatar himself. Many would gladly take their offer.

The only problem was, nobody knew who to send.

"I will go!" Cried one.

"No I!" Cried another.

Truly everyone was willing to bring honor to the bloodbender name. Everyone but Baqwis.

Baqwis truly understood the implications at hand. He truly understood how this opportunity could be beneficial in the end. Yet, he didn't feel worthy. He had been cast out of his own family, left in the streets, because he couldn't bring himself to tell them the truth. He was weak willed, and hated the sight of blood. He couldn't even bring himself to fight. He was pathetic, and now Jasmine Dragon would want him, let alone their leader.

"Hey what about Baq? He hasn't said anything."

It was his former roommate that spoke for him, and in that moment Baqwis truly wanted the sweet relief of death. "Please no." He whispered, as Datu regarded him with interest. "Yeah, what about Baqwis?" shouted another, followed by another, and a another. Baqwis really wanted to just disappear then and there. "Please."

"Silence, please." Datu commanded, now looking stern. "Baqwis, you are the most peaceful of our group. Do you not deny this?"

Baqwis only nodded, not saying anything. This action pleased Datu, who then continued, his voice kind but eyes stern. "Then you shall speak for us."

"Please, no!"

"Would you rather I send Kidlat." A loud cough was heard from the congregation, followed by a harsh hiss shushing the culprit. "Or Gani?" A loud laugh followed the name, followed by more shushing.

Baqwis retreated within himself. It was true, he was the best contender. But he didn't have any speech skills, and wasn't charismatic like Datu was. "Why can't you go?" He squeaked.

Datu only laughed in response. "And abandon my crew?! I think not!"

The crowd hollered their appreciation for their boss, walloping in their seats. This only served to make Baqwis retreat more. "Okay." He whispered, "I guess I can go."

"What was that Baqwis?" Datu hadn't heard his whispers, and a number of the young man's mates that surrounded him leaned in.

"I said I'll go!" Stated Baqwis loudly, quivering.

Datu smiled, "You'll make us proud boy. Remember that."

That night they set their course for the south, south of Roku's Island to be exact. It wouldn't take long for them to get there, and Baqwis was pacing throughout the entire trip, taking breaks to sleep or eat or help with chores around the boat. He couldn't help but fear for the worse. He had his former roommate help him practice what he would do should he meet the Jasmine Dragon's leader, which he doubted would happen. "Edcel, what if I say something offensive. What if I say something that will make them angry?"

"Oh I'm sure you'll be fine." Comforted his friend, throwing a hearty arm around the younger fella. "Besides, you're far too much of a softie to screw this up. No offense."

"None taken." Baqwis muttered, picking at a scab on his left forearm. "I just want us to be happy."

"We'll be on top of the world buddy!" His friend laughed. "No need to be worried at all! Show them just how hospitable we bloodbenders can be!"

Baqwis could only smile in response. He was grateful to have a friend he could confide in. He wasn't sure what he would do otherwise. Going on this journey to begin with was a daring move for him, as a young man who couldn't even use his bloodbending to kill, even if it were a life or death situation. He didn't want to be a killer, he never did. Yet everyone expected him to. Even Datu would sometimes order his men to kill. It made sense of course, life in Jinin wasn't easy. You had to fight to survive. He just wish it wasn't that way, anywhere really. Would joining the Jasmine Dragons truly change things? Would these revolutionaries truly change the state of the world for the better? Or will they make it just as bad if not worse?

Baqwis prayed that it would be the former, to whom it did not matter. All sources of purity was long gone from the world anyways.
The Clock Strikes Twelve

INTRO

“Welcome to Deer Mountain State Park!

Our humble resort area is located in rugged mountains that rise from the west bank of the Hudson River. The park features a large play field, shaded picnic groves, lake and river fishing access, a swimming pool, Trailside Museums and Zoo, hiking, biking and cross-country ski trails. An outdoor rink is open to ice skaters from late October through mid-March. The Dickins Memorial Tower Deer Mountain affords spectacular views of the historic mountainside, and a must visit for potential visitors. Dickins Memorial Drive and Tower are open from April through late November, weather permitting of course.

The Merry-Go-Round at Bear Mountain State Park features hand painted scenes of the park an 42 hand carved seats of native animals including black bear, wild turkey, deer, raccoon, skunk, Canada goose, fox, swan, bobcat, rabbit and more!

Our availiable Lodges include:

Deer Mountain Inn
Effortless hospitality with a spin of mountainside elegance and all the comforts of home are exactly what you will find at the Historic Deer Mountain Inn.  Built in 1915, renovations (completed in early 2012) have breathed this picturesque property back to life.  The Deer Mountain Inn is truly the 'feather in the cap' of the Paridise Parks. As of right now the historic Deer Mountain Inn is home to 15 guest rooms that combine the best of its rustic heritage with plush comforts in a beautiful setting. 
All the Extras at Deer Mountain Inn:
---Fifteen (15) Deluxe Guestrooms and Suites
---Plush Bedding and Linens
---32" Television with Satellite TV
---Complimentary Local Calls and Wake-up Calls
---Complimentary WiFi High-Speed Internet Access
---Complimentary Parking
---Complimentary Business Center
---Iron and Ironing Board, Hair Dryer, MP3 Alarm Clock
---Convenient to all that Deer Mountain State Park offers

Overlook Lodge
The 24 standard guestrooms of Overlook Lodge at Deer Mountain, NY, are a hiker's dream or a honeymooner's delight - featuring a rustic comfort that allows you to enjoy the countryside and truly become one with the mountain. Relax fireside in the lobby which boasts fabulous panoramic views of the Hudson River or retreat to the peace of your Overlook Lodge guestroom that has a perfect combination of calm serenity and upscale perks that include plush bedding, 32" television and kitchenette with microwave, refrigerator and wet bar with coffeemaker.
Accommodations at the Scenic Overlook Lodge:
---Accommodations with either one (1) King bed or two (2) Double beds
---Plush Bedding and Linens
---32" Television with Satellite TV
---Workspace with Complimentary WiFi High-Speed Internet Access
---Complimentary Local Calls and Wake-up Calls
---Complimentary Parking
---Kitchenette with Microwave, Refrigerator and Coffeemaker
---Iron and Ironing Board, Hair Dryer, MP3 Alarm Clock
---Rollaway Beds Available upon Request
---Convenient to all that Deer Mountain State Park offers

Stone Cottages
Traditional Stone Cottages are perfect for anyone looking for a rustic, mountain cabin experience.  Go 'off the grid' for family vacations, wedding parties, or someone just wanting the authentic state park experience.  Each of our four stone cottages is complete with a cozy front porch and a common living area with wood-burning fireplace,  microwave, mini-refrigerator and dry bar. The common area connects six individual guest rooms that each have a queen-size bed, private bath, and 32" television. Reserve one bedroom or the entire cottage.  Each Cottage is ADA Accessible.  NOTE:  Leave your laptops at home - there is no WIFI access in our cottages, and there is no land-line phone service in the cottages.
Rustic Comfort in our Cottages:
---Six (6) Bedrooms per Cottage - each bedroom with One (1) Queen Bed
---Plush Bedding and Linens
---32" Television with Satellite TV
---Wood-Burning Fireplace (seasonal) and Front Porch
---Complimentary Parking    
---Iron and Ironing Board, Hair Dryer, MP3 Alarm Clock
---Convenient to all that Deer Mountain State Park offers
---NO WiFi, and NO phone service “


Police Chief Lawrence Chambers took one look at the brochure given to him by a distraught looking journalist just hours earlier. “Please sir you HAVE GOT TO SHUT DOWN THIS PARK.” the poor man had begged him, tears welling up inside his eyes. He had a look of someone who had gone through hell and back.

“I'm sorry sir I can't simply shut down or restrict access to a national park.” Especially a historic one. It would take time and effort to convince the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation that such a thing was even necessary. First of all, he's need proof of the journalist's concerns. He doubted that the OPRHP would ever believe that anything within Deer Mountain was haunted, let alone that there's an entire village hidden within its borders that has gone overlooked for decades.

'Give me a break' he had thought during the guy's testament, twirling a snowglobe idly between his fingers as the man described a tower that only appeared at the stroke of midnight.

“Sir where is exactly is this village?” the Police chief asked the journalist who had then promptly taken out a map of the park. “Right there!”



The man was pointing to a blank area underneath Pond Drive. It was a large area filled with nothing but trees, possibly around 600 acres wide. There were a frew trails that ran through that area, four to be exact, maybe more. He hadn't heard of anyone running into a ghost village while hiking. He was certain the man was full of it. The man was pointing out certain things to him, like the two hills where the two most powerful families in the area stood rule. He was also insistent on that stupid tower of his.

“Sopor's Clock. See?” the man pointed at a building that was marked out next to a railroad track.

“That's where the nightmares happen. Whenever it appears the nightmares- they come to life. It's evil!”

That was about the time Chambers ordered the man to leave, before asking for a nice cup of joe to quell his aching head. Who knew where the poor journalist was now. Probably some psychiatrist, or something. Lord knows he could use a psychiatrist.

Still, he couldn't deny he heard of people disappearing on those trails. The park had blocked public access on them tons of times in the past. Yet there was never any indication of a hidden village or clocktower. They always assumed that it was dangerous wildlife attacking hikers that weren't properly prepared or ignored safety precautions. Or some animals just managed to find their way on trails that were previously thought of as safe. Anything could happen on those trails really. The Park Rangers did whatever they could to insure the safety of hunters, hikers, and campers alike. As the saying goes, “nobody's perfect”.

But why couldn't he shake the feeling that something fishy was going on in Deer Mountain?

PREMISE

“Welcome to Deer Mountain State Park!”

Perhaps you had looked over the brochure hundreds of times before finally deciding to dial the reservation number. Perhaps you were excited, or perhaps you were nervous. Perhaps you were planning a nice camping trip with your friends, or a nice hunting trip with your son, or a nice honeymoon with your new husband. Perhaps you just wanted to escape. Perhaps you needed time to figure your life out. Perhaps you just need inspiration.

For whatever reason, you found yourself at Deer Mountain State Park. You had many expectations, many worries, many fears. You put those behind you. After all, you just want to enjoy yourself. The staff of Deer Mountain warmly welcome you, their smiles plastered on their faces. You can't tell whether they are honestly happy to see you, or were made to do this for all their customers. The front desk at the accommodation of your choice handed you your keys, and you go to your room without any difficulty.

Absolutely nothing was going to go wrong.

But while you have heard many good things about the mountain, you have also heard terrible stories about disappearances along the trails that lead off the turnpike. Hikers would just go out missing, never to be found again, with no hint as to where they were last. They had to close off such trails a number of times, writing the disappearances off as wild animal attacks. Possibly bears. It was plausible, nobody could argue that bears were becoming a huge problem in New York. Still, you couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to those stories. No matter how you may have felt about the disappearances, something inside of you actually wanted to take the trails, and find out what had truly happened.

The curiosity was too strong to resist.

CS

Name:
Age: (As long as you're not like five or a hundred years old I don't really care. Just be wary that you'll be paying for your lodgings so you have to be of the age where you can have a stable job and such)
Gender: (Male, Female, Transgender, Agender, Genderqueer?)
Sexuality: (Gay, Straight, Bisexual, Pansexual, Asexual?)
Job: (Should be a stable job, preferably your character's career)
Appearance: (A picture is fine, so long as there's a short description along with it of any special details that may not be covered by your image of choice)
Personality: (Be descriptive! I expect a lot of detail! What's your character's likes? Dislikes? Hopes and fears?)
Background: (What made your character who they are today? Anything happen in their life that they regret? Anything they want to change or wish hadn't happened? What makes it hard for them to sleep at night? What memories keep them going?)
Accommodations: This will be given to you by moi, based off of your character's job description.
Quirks: (Little abnormalities that makes your character unique. Or things that they do to keep themselves calm.)
Theme: (For fun.)

NPC CS (Max amount of NPCs is 4)
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Relationship to Character:
I'm more than happy to work around things should they be issues :> I want to have a fun experience with everyone on here after all :D

That said, glad everyone approves!
Ahh coolios :> Glad we can be on the same page and stuffs. Definitely gonna go down that "using blood as a weapon" route then!
I'm probably gonna end up making it so Baq rarely uses his bloodbending. With him I kinda want to explore the healing nature of bloodbending anyways (getting rid of bloodclots, preventing blood loss, maintaining wounds, etc.) Also I'm thinking of having him use his own blood in the way a waterbender will use their own sweat? Like he would launch drops of blood as projectiles or something like that.

But yeah, I agree. I kinda want Baq to stay away from the whole puppeteering thing a lot of bloodbenders have. He definitely wouldn't have the same expertise as Naotak. Tarrlok? Maybe. But I think he'll basically be on the same level as Katara when it comes to that stuff. Maybe his powers still sort of rely on the strength of the full moon? That way he won't be able to use his puppeteering abilities unless nature allows it.

Plus, I would think it would be easier to manipulate something within yourself than something that belongs to outside influences.
And finished!
Name: Baqwis Feng
Nation of Origin: Jinin
Gender: Male
Appearance:

Age: 15 years old
Ability (type of bending, if non-bender specific skill): Bloodbender

Weapon of Choice:
A Qilinbian or a variation of the whip that is unique in that the whip is chainlinked, and attached to a leather coated metal handle. Baqwis often takes it a step further, wrapping barbed wires wrapped around the edges. In general, the barb wire is meant more for Baqwis's personal benefit, rather than as another means to injure an enemy. Usually Baqwis will draw blood from his own palms on the barbed wire, rather than carry a knife or a pin needle or let alone bite himself. That doesn't mean it's super effective however, especially when it comes to ripping people's skin off (which is the general idea). The cracker at the end of it is made out of braided nylon which is tied in a very tight knot. In all, the entire length of the whip extends just a little bit past five feet.

Biography (should be detailed, 3-5 paragraphs, at least):
Baqwis was born into a family of bloodbenders who, like a majority of Baqwis' comrades, found that all of life depended on the survival of the fittest. From an early age Baqwis was taught to lie, cheat, and steal his way into safety and happiness. Indeed, many other families were of the same opinion that it didn't matter how you did it. All that mattered is being alive and on top. The prospect of getting into good standing with Master Ro meant a chance to aid in the Blood Nation dream of dominating other nations. Baqwis knew that if he were to successfully complete a raid against a neighboring nation, he would bring great honor to his family. His brother too knew this, and would train harder than him, became smarter than him. Baqwis' older brother, he was the symbol of hope for his family. He was perfection. While Baqwis went through the same training routine, as well as had the same education, he was never as elevated to the high standard that his brother was. Of course, his brother was also a child prodigy, fearless in his bloodbending technique. He did not flinch when he was faced with death. He did not cower at the sight of torture. He did not care much for the rumored cannibalism, and in fact Baqwis swore he overheard his brother and his father talking about supporting it. Baqwis, on the other hand, hated the sight of other people's blood just as much as he hated seeing others in pain. In response to his anxieties regarding his own people's way of life, Baqwis began chewing away at himself, as if to ward people against seeing him as weak. For the most part it has worked.

Baqwis is by no means a cannibal. Nor is he a warrior. He resents those stereotypes, produced as a result of his people's warmongering and corruption. Baqwis is a very peaceful soul at heart, who wants nothing more but to patch a broken world together. Sadly, this is not a worldview that is looked upon fondly by his people. Not once did Baqwis ever consider sharing his thoughts with his family. For the most part, Baqwis had gladly accepted their harsh criticisms of his frailty. Poor Baqwis wouldn't be considered for the Blood Raiders probably, if it weren't for his motor skills. Where he fails in strength in bravery, Baqwis excels in wit and control. This is shown in his own handling of his weapon, which is a variation of his homeland's bullwhip. Certainly his skills were recognizable, and they have been, by a mercenary group no less. These crooks were different, however. For one, none of them wanted to fight in the raids. Sure, they wanted money and some much needed supplies, but they never wanted to pillage. The head honcho was a business man, who ran (of all things) a bounty business. He hired mercenaries to collect bounties placed on criminals, but instead of payment they demanded 1 pint of blood from each criminal. They would then sell the blood gathered on the market, mostly so closet cannibals can have their fix. It was a pretty good business overall. People who couldn't pay in currency offered of some family valuables sometimes, which the leader would auction off for even more money. It was all very surprising and new to Baqwis, and he often wondered why they would do all this.

He never told his family he was a bounty hunter, knowing fair well they would rather him go overseas and pillage for the motherland. When asked about his work outside of the house or his training, or even school, Baqwis would tell them that he was still waiting for Master Ro to chose him for his next deployment. This worked, until one of his family members found that there was a good chance the boy was bluffing, and suggested that he was kicked out like a dog to fend for himself if he couldn't take his training seriously enough. Baqwis would be lying if he ever said he was disappointed. He was heartbroken for sure, but he somehow felt that he was looking forward to the day he could leave his family behind. His own regret was that they didn't choose to do it any sooner.

Baqwis later moved in an apartment with one of his partners. The two of them lived just above what was perhaps the creepiest old lady ever, who apparently ran some sort of "soup shop". The two carried out their boss' business as usually until very special day. It was announced to the group of mercenaries that finally, after days of business, they had enough money to buy for themselves a yacht, on which they were to travel to other lands. They were going to start their own small colony elsewhere free of the dictatorship of the Master Ro, a corrupt politician if they ever saw one. Baqwis was confused, but hopeful as well, He trusted his leader's intuitation almost as well as he trusted his own. More than anything, he wanted to see the world for what it was truly like, and not through what his forefathers had told him.

Special Information (any quirks we should know about):
---Has a nasty habit of licking his own blood, and picking at his own scabs. Keep in mind Baqwis would rather die than drink the blood of others, so many might see this as an oddity. Yet for Baqwis, it is just a way for him to relieve his anxieties.
---By extension, Baqwis bites his nails and even his skin when he's really nervous. It's generally a good rule of thumb not to call attention to this stuff. Baqwis doesn't get offended easily, but that doesn't mean he won't find you hostile.

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