Samples of custom designed items available from the Curiosity Shops:
Custom items available from the Curiosity Shops are mounts, items, locations or CCCs. See HELP CUSTOM for details on purchasing one of these items and bear in mind that - in all cases - these bespoke creations are cosmetic, have no combat value and are designed to offer something of special beauty, not special power.
1. The Magestaff Avalonian
This is one of the most famous of the Mage-profession artifacts and can only be wielded by an Avalonian whose prowess blends a mastery of the magical arts with the rare mantle of "paradigm" or "true Avalonian" stature. It is of size and shape kin to the commonplace magestaff of Ritual creation but its density and the sheer sense of potency locked within its permanent balsa-carved stave differentiate the magestaff Avalonian from its transient brethren. The staff itself is wrought of a balsawood compound flecked with peerless laen and it is fretted by an aura of crackling octarine, ceaselessly replenishing and hungry to meet whatever challenge next faces its rightful wielder. There are only three mortal-held magestaff of non-ephemeral power in all Avalon and this is the mightiest of the triumvirate. Legends speak of a Mage having once united two as one, reaping powers unimaginable; not even myth tells of any mortal having brought together all three...
2. A black gem-encrusted sentinel steed
The sentinel steed is intimidatingly huge; nearly as wide as it is tall as it seems to lurk with an almost-sentient presence. It resembles a cross between a centaur crouching on enormous hind legs and those grim silver sentinels popular in alchemical circles and created by fist-shaped runes; but in truth this mount is like nothing you have seen before. The creature is covered entirely in plates of peerless ebony armour; an impervious protective casing that would surely deflect any mortal blow. The armour plating is studded with the iridescent gemstone glow of a veteran Loremaster; imbued with a life-force both permanent and robust by the opalescent spectrum of singularly powerful lore-robes.
Its eyes are sparkling sapphires, deep as the bowels of the Earth and blue as the radiant ocean, a stark contrast on its black obsidian face whose only feature is a gash of ruby shards that form the empty maw of its mechanical mouth. The sentinel steed is surrounded by a penumbra of violet reminiscent of the amethyst alkar, apparently fragile and translucent yet radiating with inner invulnerability as it matches every movement of the steed. A frozen cascade of diamonds twinkle along its cornelian-dark limbs like a glittering canvas of starry night skies: a tribute both to the summit of skymaster flight and the credo of its mistress: a priestess of the Stars, princess and Loremistress of the first order.
3. A twin-sided dirk
No hand could have wrought such cruel beauty as this deadly curio. The dirk hilt writhes around as though for some ambidextruous acrobat, fit for a grip back or front, only to by handled by a master thief. A soft shadow-thread entwines its grip until meeting in the centre with the clasp of Thakria's crescent moon. Shot out of either side are blades straight and needle thin, only mildly curved enough to reveal an infinitely tough edge that sings death through the air. The hind knife bears the inscriptions of Magic, unintelligible and ancient; the fore blade infects and consumes the air with the vapour trail of the all-consuming Void. They are made from, what seems, nothing known in existence: the crystal substance is so dark the eye slides away from it to brighter objects. It is impossible to see how beautiful they are except in blood.
4. Oilslick shambles (location)
Slick and sliding, sweating the ichorous oils from ceiling to floor, everything around turns from cold granite to slippery demonic secretions and a reek of foul sulfur jets. The heat is excruciating and nigh from oneself this black oil sweats from human skin, so thick and opaque the air filled with gaseous blackness. It is impossible to know which way, what to hold or where to go.
5. A beautiful amethyst and diamond-embroidered wedding gown
A masterpiece to behold, this dusky white wedding dress was designed to provide the ideal setting for the feminine form; every stitch, every inch of fabric enflames the imagination. Made of snow-white satin, the bodice clings to the wearer, defining and highlighting her every curve. The bodice, with off the shoulder four inch sleeves, is embroidered with miniscule diamond and amethyst gems in swirling, intertwined patterns that start at the bottom of the skirt, and chase one another as they rise.
The weave of pagan and virgin symbolism as embodied by the eternal chase of the patterns lends the wearer a shimmer, subtle in the moonlight and dazzling in the sun. Behind the shoulders of this beautiful creation the fabric dips low, 'til it touches the small of the bride's back - a captivating invtation when it houses the porcelain soft skin of a young woman as she glides through the denoument of her young life. The skirt, full length, is flowing with a blossoming largesse; the material layered to expand seamlessly to arch away behind the knees of the bride, trailing many yards in a long, elegant train.
6. Description of a character - in this case Elmaethor, god of the stars:
Elmaethor stands before you, his flowing starscaped robes rustled softly by the eddy of a gentle breeze. A celestial penumbra frets the entirety of his divine presence, scintillating periodically as strange, glittering stardust twinkles about his silhouette. On occasion these motes of the far heavens shine forth, burning impossibly bright then bursting brilliant seconds later. It is mesmerising, these noiseless microcosm supernova, for watching each one gives a stab of inexplicable mourning as the star-effulgence cascades its remaining light at the feet of the star-deity and renders his every footfall the brightfire ephemera of lost worlds innumerable. This bewitching play of distant worlds is only broken when, at last, $+stars turns his eyes upon you: his immortal gaze brushing aside the spell of his sparkling avatar as reality returns to your thoughts and senses once more.
Hopefully the above parcels of text give an idea of the standard we are looking for in Avalon. It is a richly descriptive world with almost 3 million words of text. In truth not everything in the realm, if submitted now, would meet the standard we ask of your own submissions but que sera sera: some text is a product of its time, some has special value because of its author or the context of its creation and inclusion. In short, do the best you can and let the above samples and the best of the descriptive examples from the game be your quality control.
