Azrael looked over at the two youngest campers on the team, proud of all that they had worked out and beginning to see the frustration beginning to creep in once the plans sounded like they needed sub plans and all the rest. "Sounds like you have found the toughest bit of planning - in the end you can only get so far until you need to improvise."

He pointed to all the pieces on the makeshift map and started to make explosion noises and splaying out his fingers in time with them above it all "At this point all the smoke bombs and the traps go off" pointing to a couple of the gummies with a 'twang' noise  "and whoever gets hold of the flag just needs to escape back to base while everyone else just aims to stop the other side grabbing that person"

He looked over the three campers with obvious enjoyment from having watched them deliberate and plan "But I like your planning - we can do it and the best bit is we all have a good idea of what is meant to happen for it. I think we all deserve a treat after all that"  Azrael said with a smile as he reached for the 'him' cake.

41

Azrael took the time to stoke the flames and throw a few more logs of dead wood onto the pile. He had enjoyed the usual campfire songs, a change for all to sing out, whether they were more or less melodic, the camp seemed to pull enough of a harmony together, or maybe that was just some secret of the Apollo campers that lead them in the evening.

Azrael was one of the older and more recently returned campers and was enjoying warming himself at the fireside, sure it was still early Fall and many more stayed on but in comparison to the summer there was a bit more of a chill. He remember the time when he had had this privilege, though it might not have seemed as much to him at the time.

He looked around with a smile to see if any new faces had shown up at the camp, or even any of those that the gossip of the camp said were nearing their thirteenth birthday, the time when the gods had to step forth and name their descendants. He had been chosen for a team late on and it made a big difference to him to see the newer campers being picked up.

Azrael stood in the middle of the wood, seeing the resourceful Athena camper standing still in the clearing as the mechanical construct moved closer. Looking at this creation it was sleek and designed for warfare, it seemed this Hephaestus camper designed for efficiency and combat rather than utility like the younger campers spider seemed to be. At least it wasn't as big as bronze dragon their cabin had made before, but sometimes deadly things can come in smaller packages..

From his vantage point next to the visible flag he quickly checked he had the supply of ambrosia cubes just encase it went badly. He looked out at the unfolding situation, like an oncoming car crash, he couldn't look away. That one is a combat threat, not a puzzle. you can get it...

Azrael had enjoyed the big city before with all its lights, sights and sounds so busy but he this time they felt so close and comfortable with Lilythe on his arm, the warmth of her next to him. He loved the way she smiled and pointed out weird and wonderful facts about the buildings they passed, other productions taking place and city in general as they made their way to the theater.  

Azrael took the time in the dark to intertwine his fingers with hers between the two of them. As her head gently rested on his shoulder, every light sound and spectacle could fade from the stage and he would be happy in this moment in the dark with her. He settled to enjoying the show, big numbers and the closeness he felt with Lithe leaning against him. 

He leaned against her, his head turning to kiss the top of her head as it rested against him. He was enjoying the impressive production and the story it spun out. As the first act came to a head he watched as Toulouse-Lautrec took the time to push the main man to confess his feelings 'The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.' He squeezed her hand as the line on stage so closely matched the feelings he felt swelling in his chest.

As the curtain fell and the lights came up with the end of the performance, Azrael felt a pang of disappointment as she pulled back to stretch. Azrael took the initiative to make suggestions, putting an effort to sound casual and non committal "So.. I am sure we can find a coffee shop open at this hour, or we can always retire back to the hotel if you'd prefer.. "

Azrael started to scout the general vicinity of the rocks, aiming for a good approach to sneak up and through towards the point. He had been up here in the defenders place but knew it would be a tough climb and even harder to stay out of sight while he did. He really didn't want to lead the younger campers up and onto the craggy tops of Zeus' Fist though.

He also hadn't seen sign of any of the older campers of the Blue team and was beginning to feel he was overdoing it against the younger campers that had been on the field so far. Catching sight of Killian though was enough to expect a potent challenge if he was seen. From his concealed position though the big guy seems to be at least a little distracted looking out over the forest grounds.

Azrael decided it would be a now or never chance to pluck the flag out from under him, if he could just sneak close enough to grab it... 

He took the time to sip at the white wine, enjoying the flavor and just being at ease with her, too many years they had been in tense situations, wars and conflicts over the years. It was right somehow, just being there together, no need for the stress of watching for the next danger, where he could take the time to stare across the table and look into her eyes and just get lost for a while.

"I don't think I have anything I would ever want to keep from you. Finding out anything you want to know though, that's the enjoyable bit." he said, an equal look of mischievousness crossing his face. "Much as you can always ask me anything you like, or any other way you want to investigate me Miss Rayne.." letting the end of the sentence hang in the air, filled with suggestion.

They took the time to eat the dinner a selection good Italian fair;  all manner of fresh pizza, pasta and a selection of pretty much everything else you could look for. But much as the food was excellent it was her he was here for, a selection of appetizers came and went while they talked. He steered the topic to shows, music, culture, looking to get to know this gorgeous woman that could captive his every moment. He looked over to her after the hot plates of Italian food arrived at the table, he couldn't quite tell when he had fallen for her in the years past but he knew in his heart that no one could take her place there. 

"Lithe won't push any of you further than you are capable of, Its what makes the camp actually forgiving. A place to actually learn rather than just gain the skills to survive the harsh world." Azrael hadn't been near the wall itself in years but he hadn't slacked in his training and active duties while he had been in New Rome.

As he heard Joaquín agree to the southern face he smiled, he enjoyed the north with its smell of the salt water and view when you hit the top. As they approached he saw the wall was free of any classes or groups of campers, it was always easier not to need to wait around for them to free up. He took the time to look over the surfaces, looked like it was at a bit of a lower setting and Chiron had changed the lava flow somewhere in the last four years. He looked over at Joaquín as he prepared himself for his climb on the opposite side. 

He took the time to mentally plot his way upwards, choosing handholds and limiting the risk of the hot streams of lava ending up in his route. He looked back over and mentally prepared himself for at least a challenge if not a defeat, although he had the longer reach from his height and a few more years of this, the children of Hermes could scamper up a vertical surface like a goat and he never had beaten Lilythe up the side of one of these, though that was as much her own aptitude as it was her god given powers.. As he caught Joaquín's eye, having both prepared, mentally and physically he said "Countdown from three sound good?" and with that he started the count.. "Three... Two.. One.."

Without looking over he leapt at the bottom of the rocky face, strong muscles pulling and dragging himself practiced and smoothly upwards in controlled movements...

Azrael took the time to listen in and through the steps of the plan, little brother was doing well at spreading the traps into solid tactical placements. The only thing he could see that would hold them up was attempting to sneak them into the enemy base... "So once you make them.. if you had some kind of Demeter secret weapon they could.. plant the traps?" it was terrible but he wasn't attempting to keep this too serious and make sure they didn't run into too many troubles if they wanted to do this one.

"So last steps.. " looking over at the two younger campers "You have the big distraction.. the traps down.." nodding to the two muffins near the cookies then the gummies, "How do you two snatch the prize?" He settled back to give them the chance to finish the plan... with a bit of luck these could pull this one off, and with their parentage some luck was just what they tended to inherit.

Azrael took the time to step back and let the child of Demeter talk through his skills and what his role on the battlefield was and enjoyed seeing his enthusiasm, a little scatter shot approach but enough seemed to hit the mark. He took the moment to grab a spare pastry and a bag of candies giving the others a chance to talk through the details. He hadn't seen himself as a part of the camp so much until Lilythe had made him agree to taking part in the games. He honestly still didn't know if there were a skill or talent he could actually bring to teaching these youngsters, they already had more than sufficient cabin leaders for combat with Dustin and Survival and Sneaking with Lilythe, he let out a quiet laugh looking down at the snack table, or trying to outdo cabin Athena at tactics; but he at least felt a connection standing in a dim cave with these young heroes.

Taking the two muffins and placing the central and in front of the cookies he said "So we have front line chocolate chip sorted. I guess its up to you two to work out whats happening to grab that flag." nodding to their respective muffins and the less busy enemy can of soda. He passed the bag of gummy sweets over to Derrick, "your bag of traps, short stuff.. any you don't use you get to eat." 

He wanted to make sure the youngest voices didn't get too drowned out by the older ones here. He had been that quiet, young, unclaimed camper back in the day and it was at that point he could feel how Lilythe had left her mark on the camp, it was a less hostile, less brutal preparation for a demigod future.. a place he hoped he could find a place in, more than just being a bruiser muffin....

Azrael did not have the extreme speeds of one of the Hermes cabins or the magics of the Hecate campers but he had to work out the best way of balancing the game and to scout out the way the blue team were setting up defenses before he brought the younger campers of the red team to action. He had not seen Lilythe on the field though she had said she was participating and more worryingly he had not seen sign of trace of Shadow, an ominous portent for when the sun started to dip. If the red side did not have a lead before then the illusions, the mind games and the outright dangerous bolts of magic would definitely tilt the game in their favor.

The true strength of the children of nemesis were the way they were grounded, it was hard to be high and mighty when you were filled with Wrath and the need to answer any slight. But most of all it made them mundanely push themselves to be good at tasks and four years within New Rome had sharpened his combat training rather than dulled it at all. Senātus Populusque Rōmānus he though as he chose a good vantage point and began a fast, methodical and skilled sprint towards the flag, analysising each element of their defense for when he would later be on bodyguard duties, planning to grab and barrel through any who decided to step into his path and escape with the flag.

Carter Price

biography

Lazy, lacking in energy or motivation. These were the things that Carter heard from point he could start to understand. He had always been a quiet child, able to entertain himself and rarely if ever cried. It was only as he started to grow into a toddler that this muted rhythm of life seemed to become a characteristic over a phase.

He was often seen to be staring into the distance or lethargic for large portions of the day. His mother took him to experts but they could find nothing physiological that would answer these symptoms, he was mostly seen as having learning difficulties and these became more pronounced with his delays in reading and then into writing.

He had a good if uneventful childhood - struggling to learn or pay attention in classes and even when moving to special needs he was still hard to pull into focus.

It was only around the age of ten that the boy really managed to take stock of his predicament, he returned to consciousness after another long night of sleep but had awoken as a lucid dreamer, the gift of full recollection and awareness within dreams. 

In that night he had been able to grasp the wisps of the dreaming realm that had always left his hold before. He had met another dreamer while walking in a golden city and learned tales of the dreamlands and all its paths. Little could he tell if he had met the figure in the past as is the way of dreamlands but now he was clear within his mind.

From this moment onward Carter changed, his ability to concentrate or focus on a task at hand would be diminished, especially if it involved reading or writing but his capabilities and knowledges improved though how he made such leaps and bounds were less common. 

Alongside him at the school he was attending was another kid that was weird on a level to match Carter.

Carter most appreciated the shakes to keep him awake through classes and 

During another class trying to teach the complex world of basic mathematics Carter dozed off once more, the spinning numbers putting him under. As he awoke he pulled some kind of creature back with him.. at least that's how it felt to him

During his early days at camp he ended up unhappy with his lot and was still adapting to the struggles of camp life, especially for anyone so prone to sleeping and the lethargy of their cabins predicament. He wanted a fresh start and ended up drinking from the waters that dripped from a  poplar tree branch within their cabin

Since his self inflicted amnesia, Carter has been able to keep mostly to his own cabin. He has learned to use the few hours of the day he forces himself to be awake to eat, exercise and do those tasks he needs muscle memory for (like swords work and similar)

During his other hours he has learned to frequent the New York Public Library or any of the number of private galleries and libraries across the city. He gets pre-opening access to every exhibition, he has the best seats (floating above them normally) to every show in town.

 

 

Personality

Few really know the other side to Carter, from a young age he had preferred his dream side, learning to focus and adapt his image and to frequent the street and libraries of the golden city of Celephaïs and to live where he was not limited by the earth realms limitations.. his attempts to read blurring and being locked to the ground for motion.

During the days he has learned to do enough to keep his body from falling apart, exercise and sustenance were major parts in the hours he pushes himself to do but for most of his time he enjoys seeing the camp from the astral plane. He does not consider himself to be snooping as much as not bound by the mortal frame.

He has been able to provide knowledge and insight into many of the most esoteric topics with thanks to his studies in the dreamland libraries and taverns where he is considered an old soul, likely from the powers that Hypnos has granted upon him

.He tends to be a privileged and happy go lucky camper, mostly keeping his own company though has seen a few other Hypnos campers at some of the hottest venues in town. Though always seems to be impatient to get done when going through the motions of the waking world.

He is known in their cabin most for humming or singing along to operatic or musical numbers when  he is visiting them in person.

About Me

Birthdate: make him about 20?
Likes: Stocks, insider trading, hamburgers, visiting people in their dreams, broadway, Camp productions like singing, the campfire and fireworks
Dislikes: Reading in the earth realm, Strong sunshine, quests, monsters from other dimensions, the fabled black city, peanut brittle..
Family:

• Mom:
• Isla (40)
• Dad:
• Hypnos
• Siblings:
• None
• Other:
• None

Happy Thoughts:
The morning sun hitting the golden streets, poring over arcane texts and documents lost from the waking world without them blurring on him
Nightmares: being trapped outside of the dream all the memories of the dreamlands fading and being just another nobody at camp.
Fatal Flaw: Curiousity
- I can look inside anyone's sleeping mind, why not?
- I can work out what stock needs bought - no problem?
 

PLAYED BY: SHADOWSOVERSCOTLAND

FACE CLAIM: ARI STIDHAM

More links

GIFS
https://i.imgur.com/28jLCz0.gifv

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https://i.imgur.com/Fqyo1mg.gifv

https://i.imgur.com/0wb9VGm.gifv

RP Challenge Number: 10) Create an elaborate plan - trapping the flag zone and springing the traps on defence
Participating Characters: Emberlynn Knight (BLUE) and TJ Gardner (BLUE)
Link to First Post: LINK 

Azrael was glad to see that his little brother was getting involved and that the kids were beginning to open up to the plan, he had been worried he had pitched this a little too young but it had amused him and he was old in comparison. He hadn't in truth done a lot with the younger campers before, he was late on to living outside of the Hermes cabin and with all the wars he hadn't  ever ending up in a position to give lessons or anything, but this felt at least fun to him and he hoped it brushed off on the others.

After Luca had made such an entrance he made sure to answer the question "Trust me.. after living through Team Edward and team Jacob, team cupcake ends up sounding pretty good. And you narrowly missed out on team raisin" he said nodding over to Luca. 

Azrael picked up the muffins in turn and set them near the evil cookie side of the map "So you have a luck filled sneaker" taking a white cupcake with sparkles on top and gesturing to Octavia "A fast trapper" gesturing to Derrick with a toffee topped muffin, "A teleporting plant controller" gesturing to Luca with a muffin decorated with green sugar leaves "and a bruiser" picking up a choco chip one and holding it up. There were only a couple of cookies near the enemy can and as he looked down at the field, he put his choco chip down in the front, a definite distraction. "So if I were to run in loudly and say hi, where do we put the others?"

Azrael uses his full height over the campers to pull back and launch the flag over their heads and out to Laney to make a break for it to the camp.

As quickly as he was blocked in he disappeared back into the undergrowth, wary of the ire of these campers and with a definite need to keep the red flag safe from their next advance...

((I think we just passed the hour mark on this one...  ))

Azrael took the time to loudly escape the base, keeping the noise up, then quickly dodged into the undergrowth to double back on himself and aim to sneak through the heavy scrub near the flag. This had been his and Lilythes go to when in wilderness actions and she had always had his back. It was odd having been away from it and those kind of missions while he was in New Rome but the reactions stayed with him as he ended up lying on the ground to not disturb the foliage.

He crawled ever closer seeing Laney and Emberlynn beginning to scuffle, he caught her eye as he reached out to pull the blue flag quietly back and away from the conflict so he could make a break for it.

Listening to Octavia, Azrael remember a long buried memory when he had gotten dragged state to state by his father and he had gotten fed up of trying and leaving behind the friends he had tried to make.. "That is one heck of a skill to have, when I was younger it was hiding at the bottom of a wardrobe, no one could see me behind all the big coats." he remembered it well, guessing he must have been Octavia's age or even younger "although after a while i wished i had brought a pillow with me."

Azrael looked over the assorted bunch of them and their assorted talents. They could come up with something workable with this set he was sure, but it wasn't his place to make the plan, this was their war game more than his as he looked over the others.

"Well if you want an assessment of skills - I guess I am a lot bigger than you folks so harder to hide" he said with a smile "and I have been fighting big monsters and things for a good few years." he made sure to keep a smile strong, some of those fights had not gone as well as hoped.  "So I work well as a noisy distraction, or a front line fighter." he said grinning or a bodyguard, but in this case that one is a given 

"So Boss and Boss" nodding to Derrick and Octavia and indicating the makeshift battle map "How do you want to do this?"

"Not so much underestimating, I see great potential but you are still a little.. underdone so far" he said honestly, having used the sparring to assess her capabilities, most of fighting was in the attitude and she had the basis of that much. Still Dustin's lessons would be pretty rollercoaster-y if Azrael had a handle on his style.

On mention of the current camp leader he smiled "She has a bit more of scouting technique but I am sure she still does lessons out by the riverside." he said circling one of the blades in his hand.

"I think we find you a lighter weapon and some actual technique and you will be formidable." He moved fluidly as she made another sprint for the flag to put a foot directly in her path "but this is not that day.."

Azrael caught sight of Laney as he kept talking to the younger campers, maybe just maybe he could lead them away, he had made enough of a show about his plans to exit the camp already.

He made sure not to tread as lightly as he normally would to leave a light trail on the way out the base. His last call back as he left the base was one of "I fear the little lady doth bluster too much" and began a sprint to escape the other team and look for those reinforcements.

Azrael was impressed at the sheer stubbornness of the camper, he looked down at her and her tactics which though rudimentary were actively working with her team towards their goal. He was ready and pushed back with careful strong blade slashes, designed to clash and push at the big weapon in her hands, to push off balance and disrupt her movements.

Azrael was taking stock of the movements, the attempts to use conversation as a tool in the warfare, one that might not get to him but would do well against those easily goaded into action. He felt like he was throwing his weight around already but the object of the task was not to injure of duel as much as it was to get hold of the flag, and that was the task he kept blocking her access to. 

"A cage, to dissuade you of your unwanted advances little one." he said with another flourish of his blades. He started to move to allow his Hephaestus teammate to position himself near the flag while Azrael could start harrying the Blue campers and keep them off the point. "For you are naught but an unruly cookie and should be dispatched as one..." he said knowing that this inside joke would likely be lost on this one but if it ever got back to the younglings they might find amusement...

Azrael took the time to settle into a steady hiding position near the flag and left his Hephaestus teammate to move up and check out the noise as part of his guard rotation. His mighty mechanical arm would be imposing enough to sort most problems.

He gathered his blades ready and prepared for more invaders or magical trickery but mostly he took the time to dart out to intercept the very insistent Iris camper as they hurtled across the camp. He took the time after blocking her charge to call over to Stefan "we have invaders..  I think I might need a cage soon if this keeps up!"

He was trying to work out how best to stop the youths without injury now, he was going to need to work out a plan before the dark came and the shadows began to creep out from the blue team.

"Well m'lady. What other tricks do you have for us..?"

70 

Azrael had returned to the Red teams base to regroup and check in with allies. To assault the enemy flag would require either a solid force or a better level of stealth than he was likely to get past the sneaky ways of Hemres or the magical alerts of Hecate.

He strode up to Stefan asking "How goes the home base?" and nodding to his reply. He looked frustratedly around expecting the next illusion to pop up around him. He started to look for a good hidden spot to guard from as the Hephestus camper did his guard perimeter checks..

Azrael was still holding weapons, still making an offense on the flag but seemed cautious to actually spar with the Iris cabin member. He realized that blade fighting with an untrained combatant was as likely to injure them with their own weapon as would his. He continued to circle but could see as easily as the newly arrived Athena camper that he could not outmaneuver two against one.

"I fought in the wars; demigods, gods and titans. Hopefully nothing you kids need to go through. Monsters however are our bread and butter here." He realized that the return of more of the blue team meant that the conversation would only go on so much longer. "But this game is much more for knowing who you are fighting back to back with and I am beginning to feel a little outnumbered."

He didn't want to fight them directly, he also didn't want to get captured by their side. He sprinted forward and made one last grab towards the flag before making plans to retreat to find his reinforcements. He had hoped they would have snuck in for the flag while he made a distraction but no luck was forthcoming for him this fight.

Azrael kept moving around and about the little one, she had a good balance and if she had been given a lighter weapon might be able to make some good use of it, for now it was a heavy burden more than anything else. taking on some of her archaic and chivalrous tones he replied "I am sure your classes will begin in earnest, come the morrow..."

She was a precocious little one, reminded him of a certain camp director when she was causing chaos when he had arrived at the camp so many years ago. "Oh.. the real dangers of your side only come out at night." he said thinking of the actual dangers he had seen from the hex crafters of Hecate. "The monsters of this forest pale in comparison to what those of your team have wrought before..." He took one of his dueling daggers and held it aloft in a salute.

He liked this kiddo, he was glad it wasn't one of the Nike or Ares lot pressing the attack on the flag this time - they tended to go all out with their combats. This kind of verbal sparring at least felt a little fairer.