drag | Oct. 1st, 2020

Please put CHARACTER | CANON | RESERVED/NOT RESERVED in the subject line!

PLAYER
NAME: jay
CONTACT:

centerfold or disc: trash#2958
OVER 18? yes
CURRENT CHARACTERS: n/a

CHARACTER
NAME: Zagreus
CANON: Hades
CANON POINT: 7th successful escape from Hades (Persephone asks him to not return to the garden)
BACKGROUND: wiki
SUITABILITY:

Zagreus is incredibly well suited to the environment, and would play very well to the concepts and challenges that it offers. At first, he'll think that this is just another wing of Hades that he hasn't seen before, but as the reality sets in that he's been spirited away to another place, he'll increasingly become accustomed to this world's version of spirits and monsters. Some of the youkai present in Hakagemachi are similar to things he's seen and experienced back home, so there's a certain sense of "old hat" with the environment that he'll get used to incredibly quickly. That said, he has a bit of a penchant for trying to break free of the chains that bind him, so he'll look for an escape route so that he can get back to trying to find his mother, Persephone, and continue to fix the broken house that he's come from. Should a compelling enough reason be presented to him as to why he needs to shift his focus on this world, or some sense of heroism/bonds to others arise, his thought methodology will evolve into doing right by this place and coming to understand his new life, and trying to protect his friends.

QUESTIONNAIRE:

● Your character finds an injured okami deep in the woods. Its leg is broken, trapped under a fallen tree, but it’s clearly in good health otherwise. They know this type of youkai is able to discern the morality of their past actions, and can turn hostile to them based off that judgment. What do they do?

Interestingly enough, the word "zagreus" was used to refer to a Greek hunter who caught animals but did not kill them. That doesn't really bear any evidence to something he's done in canon, but one of the closest members of the House of Hades that Zagreus has is the house's guardian dog, Cerberus. He has such an affinity to the creature that he's the only one who learned exactly which head to pet and how best to get along with him, often doting on him and loving him- mutually so, especially since Zagreus' first escape attempt from hell winds up with the dog destroying the house's lounge area in his panic of the prince disappearing.

On a much more relevant note, if he comes across a spirited wold that's been trapped and injured, he would do everything in his power to help alleviate the Okami's plight. It's not just because he would probably love to befriend a wolf spirit, but because he doesn't like watching those around him in pain or be tortured, knowing that he's constantly trapped himself. Zagreus can't escape the feeling that he doesn't belong and feels like he's chained down to Hades against his own will. It doesn't sit well with him to watch others go through the same sort of issue- especially when it undermines their ability to be free and do what their heart truly desires.

Even if he did know that this youkai could see into him, he'd help.

In actuality, Zagreus is very self convinced that the things he's doing are just. Every action he's taken in trying to reunite his parents comes from a deep yearning to set things right and undo the damage that his parents put upon each other. He's never felt that his actions were terrible or wrong in any way, despite the way his father abuses him for it. He understands what it means to be in pain, even relenting on his father's position when he starts to unravel the conditions as to why his mother left Hades to begin with. He wouldn't fear what the Okami sees in him when he sense him draw near to provide assistance. He knows his acts are born out of love and wanting to bring his family together, even if he's viewed by others as recalcitrant and arrogant. He does it because he values the bonds between people more than he values himself- at a visceral level, dying over and over again to seek out truth and reunification of his home.

● Your character's worst enemy asks to meet alone by moonlight in a remote location, to discuss temporarily banding together against a larger threat. How do they respond to the invitation?

Zagreus has a lot of faults, as expressed time and time again through the lens of his father: that he's lazy, impudent, arrogant, and cocky. And to some extent, all of those things are inevitably somewhat correct, but you'd never hear him admit anything that came out of Hades' mouth was true. But on the opposite side of that, despite all the apparent issues that Zagreus has and even though his hubris is something that constantly gets him screwed over time and time again, one of the most compelling traits of the Underworld's short list of 30 under 30 is how quick he is to see and grasp multiple sides to a story. Along with that, comes an almost faulted sense of forgiveness when it comes to other people. When he discovers that his house has been keeping the identity of his maternal lineage, the reality sinks in that his mother is not actually Nyx, but Persephone. For a moment, he's outraged at the news, but quickly comes to pivot and realizes how much Nyx had cared for him in Persephone's absence. He forgives her incredibly fast, and continues to keep a good relationship with her. Ultimately, Zagreus is hinted to be the God of Blood, which- edgy as it is, implies that his biggest strength and weakness is actually his ability to form, grow and cement his relations with others. He has a charming way of turning enemies into friends, either through his earnest behavior or his relentless verbal posturing at them.

That said, should his worst enemy ask Zagreus to meet him and discuss plans to take down the enemy of the enemy, he would absolutely agree to the meeting without restraint or hesitation. He would consider the motives of the person requesting it only second to the act itself, since his entire character is built around the Grecian notion of virtue ethics: that he's defined by his choices, and looks to create happiness through the virtues of his deeds. That's not to say that he wouldn't have reservations if, say, that enemy was his father... but he knows that he's been helped enough throughout his life that he can't refuse a request of aid, almost feeling duty-bound towards accomplishing it. Additionally, depending on the circumstance, there's a very good chance that Zagreus wouldn't even consider his "greatest enemy" to be an enemy at all, but rather, just a different person with another point of view that differs from his own.

Zagreus is perceptive and thoughtful enough to try and understand both sides to any situation, even to his own detriment. Provided there's motive and good intent, he would never turn down his enemy's request for aid. He probably, somewhere deep down, even likes the person to a certain degree.

● Your character has the option to lead a rampaging oni away from a path where it would find and attack a lone, inhabited farmhouse. However, the only road they can distract it down leads to the city, where it will inevitably do more damage. What do they choose to do?

Reckless self abandon, thy name is Zagreus. If there's an option to throw himself directly at the oni and attempt to kill it before it can hurt anyone, that would be his initial inclination. His life is littered with the concept of death being a meaningless thing that happens over and over again, ad nauseum, and he has little care for himself or the pain he has to endure to accomplish the goals he sets for himself.

However, Hakagemachi offers him a new context and a challenge of his own internal belief systems: he'll quickly come to realize that his divinity has been stripped from him, and that death is real, everlasting, and irreversible. After the initial shock settles in, would he become a little more rational about his advances? Probably not entirely: he would still try to find a way to divert the situation in its entirety, always seeking that third option. If there's a chance to turn the Oni around and beckon it toward the opposite direction and have it focus on himself, he absolutely would. It'll always be his first inclination, regardless of whether or not he's been nerfed and his powers over death and rebirth are useless here.

In an absolute dichotomy, should all those well laid plans go down the toilet and he's forced to go through the trolley problem in real life, he would probably try to save the lone farmhouse over the entire city. His father would choose the greater good for the greatest number of people, but that's just not who Zag is. He would have to send the Oni off on the other direction, in the hopes that saving one household buys enough time for the rest of the citizens to band together and repel the demon back.

● A shrine of a powerful god offers your character a unique boon crafted to overcome the biggest challenge they’re currently facing. In return, it only asks to be able to possess your character for a 24 hour span of its choosing, which they will not necessarily get warning for. How do they feel about the exchange, and more importantly, do they accept it?

Ultimately, yes. Zag is no stranger at all to receiving the boons of gods, and relies on them almost too much in order to help him escape from the imprisonment that is his life in Hades. Despite all his cockiness and arrogance, he has a deep reverence for those that are wiser and stronger than him (again, disclaimer, as long as they're not his good old dad), and often defers to them for council and aid whenever possible.

Even throughout the events of Hades, there are several points during his egress attempts where he has the chance to meet with Chaos, a slain Titan who resides in a pocket dimension of hell. They offer him a boon that comes at a price, putting Zagreus through a stringent trial before conferring onto him a unique and powerful ability. He takes each of these offerings without a single thought to himself or how deeply they could affect him. Whether or not that's hubris at work, with his faith in himself so strong that he believes he can endure whatever curse is inflicted upon him, or him realizing his limitations and accepting help where he can, is open to interpretation.

Just, don't be too harsh on him when he's possessed for those 24 hours. He does have a reputation to uphold, as Prince of the Underworld, after all.

YOUKAI: Uwabami
INVENTORY:

● Stygian Blade, his longsword, a weapon that has a long history rooted in the original coup of the Olympians from their Titan parents.

● Handful of pomegranates, unable to spoil or wilt. In game, they were used to empower the blessings Zagreus received from the other gods. They're a reference to the myth of Persephone, who was tricked into eating the seeds of the Pomegranates, and such, was bound to the Underworld (which was, ironically, a joke spread by Persephone in the game's lore to get heat off of her decision to marry Hades). Completely nerfed upon arrival to Hakagemachi.

● Bottles of Nectar, delicious drinks that no Olympian or recently departed could possibly resist. They're considered contraband in Hades (although the master of the house doesn't even seem to take it that seriously himself). Confers no benefits, mostly used as a gift from Zagreus to his friends to show that he cares.

● Decanter of Ambrosia, a special variety of legendary food that's said to take the shape and taste of whatever the imbiber's most valued flavor is and replicate it flawlessly. It gains potency when gifted to someone else. Confers no benefits, mostly used as a gift from Zagreus to others as a romantic gesture.

● A pouch of Diamonds. They're just pretty to look at. Once upon a time, they were used to provide improvements to the House of Hades, but otherwise they're useless.

● Cerberus' collar. A keepsake given to him by best boy, Cerberus. It used to transfer more hit points to Zagreus, but now is just a fond reminder of how much he loves his doggo.

SAMPLES:

SAMPLE 1: TDM toplevel for slumscape
SAMPLE 2: tagout log thread with Dabi on the TDM

He governs everywhere, and there he reigns;

There is his city and his lofty throne

Oct. 1st, 2020

Oct. 1st, 2020

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