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Entry tags:
Ω application: tu shanshu
Player Information:
Name: Tomato
Age: 23
Contact: (aim) TheTomatoSays (email) il.pomodoro at yahoo dot com
Game Cast: n/a
Character Information:
Name: Annabeth Chase
Canon: Percy Jackson and the Olympians | Heroes of Olympus
Canon Point: End of Son of Neptune, when she’s on board the Argo II and just outside Camp Jupiter and preparing for a meeting decades in the making (the latest book in the series).
Age: 16 (nearly 17)
Reference: Annabeth at the PJO wiki.
PJO series on wikipedia.
Heroes of Olympus series on wikipedia.
Setting: The world of PJO is Earth, in the present day, with all the standard technology and pop culture. The biggest difference and the one that triggers most of the other differences in the series is the fact that the Greek gods exist. Yes.
The gods were around in ancient Greece, the so-called cradle of western civilization, complete with all the mythological meddling that for the most part, actually happened. When Rome became the new western world super power, the gods went there, taking on the Roman incarnations of the gods. And basically, throughout history, the Greek gods continued to move around and take up residence in whatever the apparent seat and center of the western world was.
Which means – yeah, you guessed it – in the PJO series, they’re alive and kicking it in the United States (though also parts of Canada, as it comes to be revealed later). The Empire State Building in New York City? The new Mount Olympus! They’ve adapted surprisingly well to the modern age, and all the ancient myths have been transplanted into the present day – ancient places move west with the gods, like the entrance to the Underworld moving to Los Angeles.
Insert one Percy Jackson, series protagonist, who finds out that he’s a demigod after he turns twelve. Because those pesky gods haven’t learned how to control themselves even after thousands of years, there are demigod children running around, with one human parent and one godly one. They are half god, half human, but they are not immortal. Nearly all of them have ADHD, which allows for quicker battle reflexes, and most are dyslexic, with brains hardwired for Ancient Greek above modern English. They are magnets for trouble, and most demigods spend their childhoods being jolted around from school to school – such was the case with Percy, having gone to six different schools in six years.
Percy is a son of Poseidon, one of the “big three,” who were supposed to have made a pact not to have any more children, because the last time they did? A little something called the Second World War. Children of the big three tend to be more powerful than the average demigod. So Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades all swore on the River Styx that they would sire no more children. But Zeus broke it first, having a daughter named Thalia, and then Poseidon some years later fell in love with Percy’s mom. O O P S. (Hades is the only person to have not broken this pact, his children having been born before it was made and through various circumstances brought to the present day.)
Annabeth is a demigod, a daughter of Athena, meaning her human parent is her father, whom she has an estranged but growing relationship with. The life of a demigod is a dangerous one – they are often the target of attacks from monsters (of the mythological sort, ala things like the Minotaur), and the death rate of demigods is actually quite high. Very few make it to their sixteenth birthday. Annabeth ran away from home when she was seven because of this; her home was attacked by a monster seeking her out, and her family was caught in the crossfire, resulting in an enormous argument that led to her fleeing.
On Long Island exists a place called “Camp Half-Blood.” It’s a safe place for demigods, hidden away from the mortal world and protected from monsters (at least, it’s supposed to be, most of the time.) Once told about it, demigods usually must find their own way, wracked with monsters and the potential to die before even reaching there. Annabeth has lived primarily at Camp Half-Blood since she was seven years old, being one of those lucky enough to reach the camp safely, with the aid of two other demigods she met along the way (Luke, son of Hermes, and Thalia, daughter of Zeus – two very other important players in the ‘verse) and a satyr named Grover. It’s been her home for 9 years, and she is one of the most influential campers, as well as head of the Athena Cabin.
Initially, each of the twelve gods of Olympus had a cabin for their children, once they were claimed. Each cabin has a head counselor, and in times of crisis, they come together in meetings and to plan; the system is set up in reflection of original Greek democracies, and the cabins usually have a say in what goes on. (At the end of the first series, additional cabins were added for more than just the major gods and their children, as the lack of recognition of these demigod children was one of the driving forces behind the major conflict.)
Helping to hide the camp, as well as various other confrontations across the country is a thing called “the mist.” The mist is some sort of magical supernatural force that alters the perceptions of mortals when they’re faced with something related to the gods/demigods/monsters. For example, Percy’s fancy Greek-sword is often perceived as a gun when in view of mortals (how a gun is better than a sword, I don’t know, given he gets in trouble often enough for that illusion). Some mortals have the ability to see through the mist, and sometimes the mist is strong enough to fool even demigods.
The appearance of and recognition of Percy Jackson as a son of Poseidon sent this hidden world spiraling into chaos, with monsters and prophecies and great prophecies and doomsday scenarios, all of which Annabeth through her own determination, inclusion in prophecies & quests, and friendship with Percy finds herself a part of. Basically, any time something goes wrong with the gods, they leave it to demigods to solve because HA HA HA this is how they claim to avoid meddling in the affairs of the mortal world. Even though the issues usually revolve around taking down the gods themselves. Again, the life of a demigod has a high fatality rate.
The first series of books, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, revolve around the resurrection of the Titan Kronos and his plan to overthrow the Olympian gods. Luke, son of Hermes and one of Annabeth’s closest friends, betrays the Camp and joins with Kronos, even eventually becoming a host body to the Titan. Angry with both his father and all the gods, he vows to help bring about the end of western civilization and create a new world, ruled by the Titans. How do Percy and subsequently Annabeth fit into this? Well, a long time ago a prophecy stated that when a child of the big three reached the age of sixteen, they would either save or destroy the world. And since the big three had that pact of NO MORE KIDS everyone thought they were safe. But then Thalia showed up! A daughter of Zeus! Except on her trip with Annabeth, Grover, and Luke to Camp Half-Blood, they were attacked by monsters from the Underworld, and Thalia sacrificed herself at age 12, giving the other three the chance to enter the camp. Zeus turned her spirit into a pine tree to memorialize her final stand, and everyone believed the prophecy was delayed once more. So when Percy was revealed to be a son of Poseidon there was more uncertainty, doubly so when Luke revealed himself a traitor and servant of Kronos.
So basically, throughout the books, Annabeth, Percy, and Grover run all around the world fighting monsters, making friends, and trying to defeat Kronos, Luke, and the army they raised to wage war. Thalia makes a return (a magical golden fleece healing her), but she chooses immortality at age fifteen and avoids the prophecy. Nico di Angelo, son of Hades and another child of the big three, appears on the scene, but at three to four years younger than Percy, could only be the child in the prophecy had Percy died. Which he doesn’t, and so Percy takes it on with Annabeth and Grover primarily at his side. In the final battle, it is Percy’s decision and Annabeth’s knife and faith that save the day. They are welcomed as Heroes of Olympus, and Annabeth offered the chance to design a new Mount Olympus, essentially becoming architect to the gods.
Needless to say, the last five years of Annabeth’s life have been anything but tranquil. She’s literally held up the sky (ala Atlas), almost been eaten by Cyclopes, been stabbed, navigated an endless and often fatal labyrinth, nearly drowned – okay, basically, the list goes on. Girl’s seen combat and helped save the world.
And right now, something new is stirring!! Because what is peace. Completely hidden from Camp Half-Blood exists another camp, this one more Roman in nature and called Camp Jupiter, with demigod children of the Roman gods – who are the same Greek gods, only in their Roman incarnations. Camp Jupiter is run more in parallel to the Roman Empire, with legions and consuls, and it’s a much more warlike and structured camp than Camp Half-Blood. The two camps have been kept hidden from each other for decades, given their last major conflict helped brew the American Civil War. Yeah, they have generally not gotten along very well in the past. The power of the mist allowed for this separation and ignorance of each other’s existence. It’s only breaking now because Percy Jackson was switched with a boy named Jason Grace from the Roman camp; Jason is a son of Jupiter, Zeus in his Roman form, as well as the long lost brother of Thalia. Their memories initially wiped, the switch was completed by Hera because of the newest and latest threat to humanity, something so powerful that apparently only the combined unity of the two camps as well as seven demigods from something called “the Prophecy of Seven” could stand a chance at defeating. By switching Percy and Jason, arguably the major player from each camp, and removing their memories, Hera insured they would come to earn the trust of each other’s camp and thus make the reunion of the two camps go much more smoothly (see: avoid bloodshed). At least that is the plan. It hasn’t actually happened yet.
Six of the seven demigods are known – three from Camp Half-Blood (Percy Jackson, Piper McLean, and Leo Valdez), three from Camp Jupiter (Jason Grace, Hazel Levesque, and Frank Zhang). It’s speculated that Annabeth is the seventh, but the series is still ongoing and the last person has not been revealed yet!!!
Annabeth is currently on board a flying ship called the Argo II that is making its way to Camp Jupiter – the first real contact the two camps will have in over a hundred years. She’s spent the last eight months searching for Percy, who’s been missing until now. All the while, the world is once again tipping towards another mythological war, this time with Gaia determined to reawaken and essentially take it over.
Personality: Annabeth Chase. The first thing to know is that as a daughter of the Greek goddess Athena, she shares many qualities with her mother. Intelligence, right off the bat. Annabeth is smart, and she knows it. She takes pride in it. She’s not afraid to speak and let her thoughts be heard, especially when she knows she’s in the right (though if remaining silent or lying is the better option in a situation, she’ll do that, too). She’s clever and cunning, and she will always have a plan (how detailed and in advanced said plan is varies, but even in her impulsivity she will have expectations). She’s observant and swift on the update, often making realizations long before anyone else, and she’ll use the environment to her advantage. Examining the situation at hand, she is quick to form a plan, even in cases where it comes to her in the middle of running from some monster. She’s extremely analytical in everything she does. Wit and sarcasm are also among her favorite tools, both in humor and to be cruel, and many (but especially the likes of Percy) fall victim. She’s snarky and brainy, and she doesn’t care what you think about that. On the more negative side, her expectations often fall high, and she’ll expect others to know things she already does. When they don’t, it results in a lot of eye-rolling and disbelief, but she will offer explanation (sometimes with an air of ‘how can you not know this?’).
She wants to prove herself. Until the arrival of Percy Jackson, she’d quite literally not stepped foot outside Camp Half-Blood since she’d arrived. She knows she’s capable, and many of her fellow campers know the same, but she wanted the chance to show that. Despite a genuine concern for saving the world inherent in her determination, she also wants to demonstrate her skills. She wants to stand out, she wants to get the attention of her mother and all the gods. One of her biggest goals in life is to build a monument so great and so high for the gods with her name attached -- to be remembered in the world. Annabeth has an enormous love of architecture, and Percy notes on more than one occasion through the entire series how often she prattles on about whatever building or monument she happens to be near, regardless of how closely the other party is paying attention. She sends him a photo of herself standing before the Lincoln Memorial, and Percy describes her pose as if she’d built it herself.
She wants to build something substantial and long lasting, something she did not have with her mother or father as a child. It weighs on her, and she craves that stability. She even lost Luke and Thalia in different ways, her pseudo-family after she ran away. Architecture is how she expresses that want. (Though it is, of course, still something that causes her to unapologetically geek out.) Percy is more or less her newest family, and she is fiercely protective of him – her best friend for years, current boyfriend, and even that gets shaken up quite often.
Often, she can initially come off as a cold person. It’s not because she is, but of the way she presents herself and the way her life as gone so far. If you’re a stranger, she wants to know who you are and what you want – or what you know. And that can lead to demanding and harsh questions that spit out before polite conversation. She’ll hold back defensively out of mistrust, and with a life full of monsters in disguise trying to kill her, you can hardly blame the girl. She’s skeptical and suspicious and will be until one hundred percent certain. She’s judgmental and cautious, prone to grudges (but still able to forgive). Past experiences shape her worldviews. A Cyclops once trapped and tried to eat her and her friends, and she had a hard time letting go of that and learning to trust Tyson, another Cyclops and Percy’s half brother.
But once you earn that trust, your status in Annabeth’s eyes goes up quite a lot. Tyson the Cyclops is now one of her best friends. She’ll defend you, physically or otherwise. She’s extremely protective of those she cares about, even a little possessive (especially when it comes to Percy). They are her friends – her responsibility, her comrades in arms, and she’s quick to anger if she feels this is being threatened. She once took a near-fatal knife to the side for Percy, to save him from the injury himself, as it would have killed him. She would do anything to save them, anything to protect Camp Half-Blood, which took her in and has been her home for most of her life.
When it comes to betrayal, it hurts. Her trust and faith has been broken, something she so rarely gives out that deeply. When Luke Castellan betrayed the entirety of the Camp in his plan to revive Kronos, Annabeth felt hit the hardest. He helped her survive and reach Camp Half-Blood, and they’d been like each other’s family for years (and she had a small crush on him when she was younger). But she’s hopeful – she tried so hard to bring Luke back to the side of good and hated the idea of giving up on him, even as she saw his plans for destruction. Her loyalty runs deep, and if you’ve got it, you’re stuck with it as long she deems possible, even if you break it and she grapples with doubt. She wants to forgive those close to her, because she doesn’t like losing people and doesn’t want to lose anyone else.
She is proud. Extremely proud, to the point where it is legitimately her fatal flaw. All the great Greek heroes have one, and Annabeth’s pride is hers. Hubris. She can be haughty and condescending. Bossy, because she knows best. She has an enormous amount of confidence in her ability to succeed and gets frustrated at mishaps. She wants to know as much as she can about anything and everything, occasionally at huge risk (such as when she vehemently demanded to listen to the Sirens’ song, refusing earplugs and nearly plunging to her death after breaking free of the bonds that were supposed to restrain her. She was warned about this, but how could she go through life not knowing what the Sirens sounded like?). Hubris is a common fatal flaw among children of Athena. She knows herself to be capable of many great things and sometimes sets the bar too high for herself. She can fix anything, she can help anyone -- she was so determined that Luke could be good again, she knew she could convince him. And in cases of failure, that hubris just makes it hurt even more.
Along those veins, she hates insults to her intelligence. Once faced with a sphinx, Annabeth was given a series of simple multiple-choice questions, which were so easy she refused to continue answering them. Her refusal led the sphinx to attack, something that could have easily been avoided had she continued with the quizzing.
But she is a strong leader, and her experience and smarts have earned her the respect of most other demigods at Camp Half-Blood. Annabeth is extremely brave and keeps her cool when faced with even the most dangerous things (the exception being spiders – she’s got vicious arachnophobia because of her mother’s tension with Arachne, and when spiders find her, it’s a struggle to remain calm). She’s calculating and unafraid to risk her life for the greater good and her friends. She and Percy once single-handedly took on a Kampê, despite knowing it would likely result in their deaths (and it nearly did, until they were saved by a Hundred Handed One). She’s more than willing to put the lives of others above herself.
Despite her ability to remain calm under pressure, she’s still got a temper. Percy spends a lot of time wondering what might have set her off and trying to carefully choose his words to avoid setting her off. She can get jealous easily, especially when she wants someone’s attention and in relationships, both of the romantic nature and familial. She has no patience for people who touch her things – material things. She’s as likely to punch someone in affection as she is to hug them. She likes to be in control as much as she can of all aspects of her life, out of her own confidence in knowing best and having a lot of uncertainty through her childhood.
This won’t be the first time she’s experienced a world between life and death – she’s taken a trip or two to the Underworld. Yeah, that Underworld, the one controlled by Hades and all that fun stuff. She’s walked among the dead, seen the dead get raised. Tu Shanshu will likely just remind her of certain aspects of that. She’s also familiar with the disruption of time and how it can pass differently because of various circumstances and locations, including having traveled through a labyrinth where one hour inside translated into several outside; the fact that time freezes and she’ll return to the moment from which she was dragged will probably be more reassuring than anything else. She’ll be relatively calm about ending up in the new location, especially after hearing all about it upon getting pulled from the water – thus not completely forcing her into a blind situation, doubly so when she hears time isn’t passing back home. She works better when she knows what she’s up against. But it won’t stop her from desperately seeking out more information – Tu Shanshu isn’t a place she’s heard of before. How is that even possible? She’ll want to know more, for pure curiosity’s sake and a need to know.
Appearance: Annabeth is a teenager, fairly tall and athletic (the wiki lists her as being 5’9”); her body is toned with lean muscle from years of training and fighting. She has storm grey eyes, and her hair is mostly blonde, long and very curly – described as “princess curls” by Percy upon his first encounter with her – but there’s also a grey streak in the blonde, a permanent marker from when she held up the sky. Her hair is often tied back out of her face. Being outside at a near constant also leads her to usually support a natural summer tan. She’s considered to be quite pretty, having inherited looks from her mother, even if she doesn’t bother taking care of her appearance much.
The PB being used is Britt Robertson, and I was far too lazy to photoshop a grey streak into all the icons.
Abilities: Though fully capable in physical combat, Annabeth’s greatest strength is her smarts – as a daughter of the goddess of wisdom, that’s kind of a given. She’s an excellent strategist, but she’s beyond knowledgeable about numerous subjects (including but not limited to history, physics, and her favorite thing of all, architecture). She’s quick to adapt and is a borderline walking encyclopedia with a photographic memory.
Her preferred weapon is a knife, which she can use with ease, but she’s also been trained with various others: swords, bows, spears, etc. Athena is also a goddess of warfare, after all, and so Annabeth gains proficiency in battle as well. Her strength is a little above average, given her half-blood nature combined with years of combat training.
Despite being a demigod, she’s still suspect to mortal fatal injuries – demigods just have special magic medicines (ambrosia and nectar) that allow for better recoveries.
Inventory:
-Jean shorts, orange Camp Half-Blood tee-shirt, and sneakers & socks
-Yankees cap: a gift from her mother that allows her to turn invisible when being worn
-Her knife, attached to a belt at her side, made of celestial bronze – one of the few materials capable of killing/cutting monsters, it has no effect on normal humans
-Camp Half-Blood necklace; it has a bead for summer she’ssurvived been at the camp, thus 9 beads at this point. Also attached is her father’s college ring.
Suite: Metal. One floor.
In-Character Samples:
Third Person:
Once Annabeth realized the kedan that were her ride to civilization weren’t going to be helpful, she stopped asking questions. It was a waste of her time. The cart wasn’t the most comfortable of transportation, but she’d also used worse, so she brushed off the bumps and rattling. Settled in as best she could, crossing her arms and staring up at the sky. She felt weakened at first, suspecting her unconsciousness in the water was to blame, but the longer she was awake and out of it, the better she began to feel.
Tu Vishan. Not something she had ever heard before, and now that she had time to process this fact, it was driving her up the wall. It wasn’t like she was surprised of its existence – quite the opposite, really. If the mist could hide a second camp full of Roman demigods, why couldn’t a place like this exist?
No, the worst part was how little she could glean from what she was told. Nothing about it sounded particularly familiar, beyond some Native American mythology surrounding a turtle’s back being the world. But this was clearly not the same – similar in concept, but it was also a world between the living and the dead. She wasn’t completely positive, but she was fairly certain the turtle was the earth in that story. Or was it holding up the world? The sky? Both? The latter didn’t seem possible, given she’d seen that happen and done it herself and it hadn’t been a turtle. Besides, she knew for a fact that the gods existed along Greek veins back home – how well would a variety mesh?
But it was something to consider, when she could leave and got back home. Maybe other things were being hidden by mist. That was for later. For now she had to figure out why she had virtually no knowledge of this place.
She listened carefully as the kedan prattled away, but not all of it made sense. It was information to store for later, once she could put it into a broader context – surely it would help create a bigger picture then. She studied her surroundings as they trudged along, but there didn’t seem to be much. The kedan resembled humans, though she noticed right away discrepancies – like when one of the first things she saw upon getting pulled from the water and waking was an extra finger on one of them. It set her guard up instantly, and though her current guides didn’t seem to be hostile, there was no telling what she would face once they reached Keeliai. Despite knowing it was there, she touched her own fingers briefly against her knife, a reassurance.
The whole thing didn’t seem particularly dangerous. She’d found herself in much worse, and this time, she’d be prepared for a sudden dark turn. No surprise attacks would get the better of her. She hated to admit it, but the real downside was being alone. It wasn’t like she couldn’t take care of herself, gods no. But the support of her friends, backup – well, that was always nice. And right now they were all back on the Argo II. Well, except one.
To be honest, one of the most annoying realizations about this little detour was the reunion it delayed. She’d been so close, after eight long months, to seeing Percy again. And now she was here. Stuck. It better not be for long.
She blew angrily at a tuft of loose hair, then tucked it behind her ear. Why her? Was there a reason she was taken to this place above anyone else? She’d probably get the answer soon enough, but it didn’t stop her from being impatient now.
The kedan lumbered along, chatting and chatting. It was idle, too idle. With a sigh, Annabeth settled in again more comfortably, but in a position that made for an easy get away if necessary. There was nothing left to do but continue to take advantage of the ride and continue keeping watch as the world unfolded. Maybe there would be familiar faces in her destination, but she wasn’t holding on to that hope. She had to prepare to be in this alone.
Network: [A teenager, roughly sixteen but no older than seventeen, flicks on the video. She looks pretty hesitant about showing her face, biting her lip and nervously running a hand through her hair, which is pulled back into a ponytail, and so she pulls out some strands with the motion, and the curls dangle. With careful attention, you might notice a streak of grey amongst the blonde. ]
[But then she straightens up and her expression becomes something more determined.]
First thing’s first. I need to know if anyone here is familiar with or from ‘Camp Half-Blood.’ [She pauses, then somewhat begrudgingly:] Or ‘Camp Jupiter,’ I guess.
[A sigh, then another pause. She taps her fingers on something off-screen]
Since a good chunk of the population doesn’t really seem to be native, just how long have you all been here? I want to know if it’s a common trend or a newer phenomenon.
And does anyone know anything more about this place? Things you might have picked up on your own. I understand the basics, and I gather most of the newer residents have gotten similar lectures upon arrival, so don’t bother with reiterating. I’m mostly curious about things the kedan haven’t explained. I tried asking questions on the cart ride, but the ones who found me weren’t the most talkative on the way here. I’ve learned next to nothing about this Emperor.
[Her eyes widen slightly, as if she’s had a sudden realization] I thought I heard mention of a library – can someone tell me where it is? Or maybe it was a book store? Either way, the question still stands.
Name: Tomato
Age: 23
Contact: (aim) TheTomatoSays (email) il.pomodoro at yahoo dot com
Game Cast: n/a
Character Information:
Name: Annabeth Chase
Canon: Percy Jackson and the Olympians | Heroes of Olympus
Canon Point: End of Son of Neptune, when she’s on board the Argo II and just outside Camp Jupiter and preparing for a meeting decades in the making (the latest book in the series).
Age: 16 (nearly 17)
Reference: Annabeth at the PJO wiki.
PJO series on wikipedia.
Heroes of Olympus series on wikipedia.
Setting: The world of PJO is Earth, in the present day, with all the standard technology and pop culture. The biggest difference and the one that triggers most of the other differences in the series is the fact that the Greek gods exist. Yes.
The gods were around in ancient Greece, the so-called cradle of western civilization, complete with all the mythological meddling that for the most part, actually happened. When Rome became the new western world super power, the gods went there, taking on the Roman incarnations of the gods. And basically, throughout history, the Greek gods continued to move around and take up residence in whatever the apparent seat and center of the western world was.
Which means – yeah, you guessed it – in the PJO series, they’re alive and kicking it in the United States (though also parts of Canada, as it comes to be revealed later). The Empire State Building in New York City? The new Mount Olympus! They’ve adapted surprisingly well to the modern age, and all the ancient myths have been transplanted into the present day – ancient places move west with the gods, like the entrance to the Underworld moving to Los Angeles.
Insert one Percy Jackson, series protagonist, who finds out that he’s a demigod after he turns twelve. Because those pesky gods haven’t learned how to control themselves even after thousands of years, there are demigod children running around, with one human parent and one godly one. They are half god, half human, but they are not immortal. Nearly all of them have ADHD, which allows for quicker battle reflexes, and most are dyslexic, with brains hardwired for Ancient Greek above modern English. They are magnets for trouble, and most demigods spend their childhoods being jolted around from school to school – such was the case with Percy, having gone to six different schools in six years.
Percy is a son of Poseidon, one of the “big three,” who were supposed to have made a pact not to have any more children, because the last time they did? A little something called the Second World War. Children of the big three tend to be more powerful than the average demigod. So Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades all swore on the River Styx that they would sire no more children. But Zeus broke it first, having a daughter named Thalia, and then Poseidon some years later fell in love with Percy’s mom. O O P S. (Hades is the only person to have not broken this pact, his children having been born before it was made and through various circumstances brought to the present day.)
Annabeth is a demigod, a daughter of Athena, meaning her human parent is her father, whom she has an estranged but growing relationship with. The life of a demigod is a dangerous one – they are often the target of attacks from monsters (of the mythological sort, ala things like the Minotaur), and the death rate of demigods is actually quite high. Very few make it to their sixteenth birthday. Annabeth ran away from home when she was seven because of this; her home was attacked by a monster seeking her out, and her family was caught in the crossfire, resulting in an enormous argument that led to her fleeing.
On Long Island exists a place called “Camp Half-Blood.” It’s a safe place for demigods, hidden away from the mortal world and protected from monsters (at least, it’s supposed to be, most of the time.) Once told about it, demigods usually must find their own way, wracked with monsters and the potential to die before even reaching there. Annabeth has lived primarily at Camp Half-Blood since she was seven years old, being one of those lucky enough to reach the camp safely, with the aid of two other demigods she met along the way (Luke, son of Hermes, and Thalia, daughter of Zeus – two very other important players in the ‘verse) and a satyr named Grover. It’s been her home for 9 years, and she is one of the most influential campers, as well as head of the Athena Cabin.
Initially, each of the twelve gods of Olympus had a cabin for their children, once they were claimed. Each cabin has a head counselor, and in times of crisis, they come together in meetings and to plan; the system is set up in reflection of original Greek democracies, and the cabins usually have a say in what goes on. (At the end of the first series, additional cabins were added for more than just the major gods and their children, as the lack of recognition of these demigod children was one of the driving forces behind the major conflict.)
Helping to hide the camp, as well as various other confrontations across the country is a thing called “the mist.” The mist is some sort of magical supernatural force that alters the perceptions of mortals when they’re faced with something related to the gods/demigods/monsters. For example, Percy’s fancy Greek-sword is often perceived as a gun when in view of mortals (how a gun is better than a sword, I don’t know, given he gets in trouble often enough for that illusion). Some mortals have the ability to see through the mist, and sometimes the mist is strong enough to fool even demigods.
The appearance of and recognition of Percy Jackson as a son of Poseidon sent this hidden world spiraling into chaos, with monsters and prophecies and great prophecies and doomsday scenarios, all of which Annabeth through her own determination, inclusion in prophecies & quests, and friendship with Percy finds herself a part of. Basically, any time something goes wrong with the gods, they leave it to demigods to solve because HA HA HA this is how they claim to avoid meddling in the affairs of the mortal world. Even though the issues usually revolve around taking down the gods themselves. Again, the life of a demigod has a high fatality rate.
The first series of books, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, revolve around the resurrection of the Titan Kronos and his plan to overthrow the Olympian gods. Luke, son of Hermes and one of Annabeth’s closest friends, betrays the Camp and joins with Kronos, even eventually becoming a host body to the Titan. Angry with both his father and all the gods, he vows to help bring about the end of western civilization and create a new world, ruled by the Titans. How do Percy and subsequently Annabeth fit into this? Well, a long time ago a prophecy stated that when a child of the big three reached the age of sixteen, they would either save or destroy the world. And since the big three had that pact of NO MORE KIDS everyone thought they were safe. But then Thalia showed up! A daughter of Zeus! Except on her trip with Annabeth, Grover, and Luke to Camp Half-Blood, they were attacked by monsters from the Underworld, and Thalia sacrificed herself at age 12, giving the other three the chance to enter the camp. Zeus turned her spirit into a pine tree to memorialize her final stand, and everyone believed the prophecy was delayed once more. So when Percy was revealed to be a son of Poseidon there was more uncertainty, doubly so when Luke revealed himself a traitor and servant of Kronos.
So basically, throughout the books, Annabeth, Percy, and Grover run all around the world fighting monsters, making friends, and trying to defeat Kronos, Luke, and the army they raised to wage war. Thalia makes a return (a magical golden fleece healing her), but she chooses immortality at age fifteen and avoids the prophecy. Nico di Angelo, son of Hades and another child of the big three, appears on the scene, but at three to four years younger than Percy, could only be the child in the prophecy had Percy died. Which he doesn’t, and so Percy takes it on with Annabeth and Grover primarily at his side. In the final battle, it is Percy’s decision and Annabeth’s knife and faith that save the day. They are welcomed as Heroes of Olympus, and Annabeth offered the chance to design a new Mount Olympus, essentially becoming architect to the gods.
Needless to say, the last five years of Annabeth’s life have been anything but tranquil. She’s literally held up the sky (ala Atlas), almost been eaten by Cyclopes, been stabbed, navigated an endless and often fatal labyrinth, nearly drowned – okay, basically, the list goes on. Girl’s seen combat and helped save the world.
And right now, something new is stirring!! Because what is peace. Completely hidden from Camp Half-Blood exists another camp, this one more Roman in nature and called Camp Jupiter, with demigod children of the Roman gods – who are the same Greek gods, only in their Roman incarnations. Camp Jupiter is run more in parallel to the Roman Empire, with legions and consuls, and it’s a much more warlike and structured camp than Camp Half-Blood. The two camps have been kept hidden from each other for decades, given their last major conflict helped brew the American Civil War. Yeah, they have generally not gotten along very well in the past. The power of the mist allowed for this separation and ignorance of each other’s existence. It’s only breaking now because Percy Jackson was switched with a boy named Jason Grace from the Roman camp; Jason is a son of Jupiter, Zeus in his Roman form, as well as the long lost brother of Thalia. Their memories initially wiped, the switch was completed by Hera because of the newest and latest threat to humanity, something so powerful that apparently only the combined unity of the two camps as well as seven demigods from something called “the Prophecy of Seven” could stand a chance at defeating. By switching Percy and Jason, arguably the major player from each camp, and removing their memories, Hera insured they would come to earn the trust of each other’s camp and thus make the reunion of the two camps go much more smoothly (see: avoid bloodshed). At least that is the plan. It hasn’t actually happened yet.
Six of the seven demigods are known – three from Camp Half-Blood (Percy Jackson, Piper McLean, and Leo Valdez), three from Camp Jupiter (Jason Grace, Hazel Levesque, and Frank Zhang). It’s speculated that Annabeth is the seventh, but the series is still ongoing and the last person has not been revealed yet!!!
Annabeth is currently on board a flying ship called the Argo II that is making its way to Camp Jupiter – the first real contact the two camps will have in over a hundred years. She’s spent the last eight months searching for Percy, who’s been missing until now. All the while, the world is once again tipping towards another mythological war, this time with Gaia determined to reawaken and essentially take it over.
Personality: Annabeth Chase. The first thing to know is that as a daughter of the Greek goddess Athena, she shares many qualities with her mother. Intelligence, right off the bat. Annabeth is smart, and she knows it. She takes pride in it. She’s not afraid to speak and let her thoughts be heard, especially when she knows she’s in the right (though if remaining silent or lying is the better option in a situation, she’ll do that, too). She’s clever and cunning, and she will always have a plan (how detailed and in advanced said plan is varies, but even in her impulsivity she will have expectations). She’s observant and swift on the update, often making realizations long before anyone else, and she’ll use the environment to her advantage. Examining the situation at hand, she is quick to form a plan, even in cases where it comes to her in the middle of running from some monster. She’s extremely analytical in everything she does. Wit and sarcasm are also among her favorite tools, both in humor and to be cruel, and many (but especially the likes of Percy) fall victim. She’s snarky and brainy, and she doesn’t care what you think about that. On the more negative side, her expectations often fall high, and she’ll expect others to know things she already does. When they don’t, it results in a lot of eye-rolling and disbelief, but she will offer explanation (sometimes with an air of ‘how can you not know this?’).
She wants to prove herself. Until the arrival of Percy Jackson, she’d quite literally not stepped foot outside Camp Half-Blood since she’d arrived. She knows she’s capable, and many of her fellow campers know the same, but she wanted the chance to show that. Despite a genuine concern for saving the world inherent in her determination, she also wants to demonstrate her skills. She wants to stand out, she wants to get the attention of her mother and all the gods. One of her biggest goals in life is to build a monument so great and so high for the gods with her name attached -- to be remembered in the world. Annabeth has an enormous love of architecture, and Percy notes on more than one occasion through the entire series how often she prattles on about whatever building or monument she happens to be near, regardless of how closely the other party is paying attention. She sends him a photo of herself standing before the Lincoln Memorial, and Percy describes her pose as if she’d built it herself.
She wants to build something substantial and long lasting, something she did not have with her mother or father as a child. It weighs on her, and she craves that stability. She even lost Luke and Thalia in different ways, her pseudo-family after she ran away. Architecture is how she expresses that want. (Though it is, of course, still something that causes her to unapologetically geek out.) Percy is more or less her newest family, and she is fiercely protective of him – her best friend for years, current boyfriend, and even that gets shaken up quite often.
Often, she can initially come off as a cold person. It’s not because she is, but of the way she presents herself and the way her life as gone so far. If you’re a stranger, she wants to know who you are and what you want – or what you know. And that can lead to demanding and harsh questions that spit out before polite conversation. She’ll hold back defensively out of mistrust, and with a life full of monsters in disguise trying to kill her, you can hardly blame the girl. She’s skeptical and suspicious and will be until one hundred percent certain. She’s judgmental and cautious, prone to grudges (but still able to forgive). Past experiences shape her worldviews. A Cyclops once trapped and tried to eat her and her friends, and she had a hard time letting go of that and learning to trust Tyson, another Cyclops and Percy’s half brother.
But once you earn that trust, your status in Annabeth’s eyes goes up quite a lot. Tyson the Cyclops is now one of her best friends. She’ll defend you, physically or otherwise. She’s extremely protective of those she cares about, even a little possessive (especially when it comes to Percy). They are her friends – her responsibility, her comrades in arms, and she’s quick to anger if she feels this is being threatened. She once took a near-fatal knife to the side for Percy, to save him from the injury himself, as it would have killed him. She would do anything to save them, anything to protect Camp Half-Blood, which took her in and has been her home for most of her life.
When it comes to betrayal, it hurts. Her trust and faith has been broken, something she so rarely gives out that deeply. When Luke Castellan betrayed the entirety of the Camp in his plan to revive Kronos, Annabeth felt hit the hardest. He helped her survive and reach Camp Half-Blood, and they’d been like each other’s family for years (and she had a small crush on him when she was younger). But she’s hopeful – she tried so hard to bring Luke back to the side of good and hated the idea of giving up on him, even as she saw his plans for destruction. Her loyalty runs deep, and if you’ve got it, you’re stuck with it as long she deems possible, even if you break it and she grapples with doubt. She wants to forgive those close to her, because she doesn’t like losing people and doesn’t want to lose anyone else.
She is proud. Extremely proud, to the point where it is legitimately her fatal flaw. All the great Greek heroes have one, and Annabeth’s pride is hers. Hubris. She can be haughty and condescending. Bossy, because she knows best. She has an enormous amount of confidence in her ability to succeed and gets frustrated at mishaps. She wants to know as much as she can about anything and everything, occasionally at huge risk (such as when she vehemently demanded to listen to the Sirens’ song, refusing earplugs and nearly plunging to her death after breaking free of the bonds that were supposed to restrain her. She was warned about this, but how could she go through life not knowing what the Sirens sounded like?). Hubris is a common fatal flaw among children of Athena. She knows herself to be capable of many great things and sometimes sets the bar too high for herself. She can fix anything, she can help anyone -- she was so determined that Luke could be good again, she knew she could convince him. And in cases of failure, that hubris just makes it hurt even more.
Along those veins, she hates insults to her intelligence. Once faced with a sphinx, Annabeth was given a series of simple multiple-choice questions, which were so easy she refused to continue answering them. Her refusal led the sphinx to attack, something that could have easily been avoided had she continued with the quizzing.
But she is a strong leader, and her experience and smarts have earned her the respect of most other demigods at Camp Half-Blood. Annabeth is extremely brave and keeps her cool when faced with even the most dangerous things (the exception being spiders – she’s got vicious arachnophobia because of her mother’s tension with Arachne, and when spiders find her, it’s a struggle to remain calm). She’s calculating and unafraid to risk her life for the greater good and her friends. She and Percy once single-handedly took on a Kampê, despite knowing it would likely result in their deaths (and it nearly did, until they were saved by a Hundred Handed One). She’s more than willing to put the lives of others above herself.
Despite her ability to remain calm under pressure, she’s still got a temper. Percy spends a lot of time wondering what might have set her off and trying to carefully choose his words to avoid setting her off. She can get jealous easily, especially when she wants someone’s attention and in relationships, both of the romantic nature and familial. She has no patience for people who touch her things – material things. She’s as likely to punch someone in affection as she is to hug them. She likes to be in control as much as she can of all aspects of her life, out of her own confidence in knowing best and having a lot of uncertainty through her childhood.
This won’t be the first time she’s experienced a world between life and death – she’s taken a trip or two to the Underworld. Yeah, that Underworld, the one controlled by Hades and all that fun stuff. She’s walked among the dead, seen the dead get raised. Tu Shanshu will likely just remind her of certain aspects of that. She’s also familiar with the disruption of time and how it can pass differently because of various circumstances and locations, including having traveled through a labyrinth where one hour inside translated into several outside; the fact that time freezes and she’ll return to the moment from which she was dragged will probably be more reassuring than anything else. She’ll be relatively calm about ending up in the new location, especially after hearing all about it upon getting pulled from the water – thus not completely forcing her into a blind situation, doubly so when she hears time isn’t passing back home. She works better when she knows what she’s up against. But it won’t stop her from desperately seeking out more information – Tu Shanshu isn’t a place she’s heard of before. How is that even possible? She’ll want to know more, for pure curiosity’s sake and a need to know.
Appearance: Annabeth is a teenager, fairly tall and athletic (the wiki lists her as being 5’9”); her body is toned with lean muscle from years of training and fighting. She has storm grey eyes, and her hair is mostly blonde, long and very curly – described as “princess curls” by Percy upon his first encounter with her – but there’s also a grey streak in the blonde, a permanent marker from when she held up the sky. Her hair is often tied back out of her face. Being outside at a near constant also leads her to usually support a natural summer tan. She’s considered to be quite pretty, having inherited looks from her mother, even if she doesn’t bother taking care of her appearance much.
The PB being used is Britt Robertson, and I was far too lazy to photoshop a grey streak into all the icons.
Abilities: Though fully capable in physical combat, Annabeth’s greatest strength is her smarts – as a daughter of the goddess of wisdom, that’s kind of a given. She’s an excellent strategist, but she’s beyond knowledgeable about numerous subjects (including but not limited to history, physics, and her favorite thing of all, architecture). She’s quick to adapt and is a borderline walking encyclopedia with a photographic memory.
Her preferred weapon is a knife, which she can use with ease, but she’s also been trained with various others: swords, bows, spears, etc. Athena is also a goddess of warfare, after all, and so Annabeth gains proficiency in battle as well. Her strength is a little above average, given her half-blood nature combined with years of combat training.
Despite being a demigod, she’s still suspect to mortal fatal injuries – demigods just have special magic medicines (ambrosia and nectar) that allow for better recoveries.
Inventory:
-Jean shorts, orange Camp Half-Blood tee-shirt, and sneakers & socks
-Yankees cap: a gift from her mother that allows her to turn invisible when being worn
-Her knife, attached to a belt at her side, made of celestial bronze – one of the few materials capable of killing/cutting monsters, it has no effect on normal humans
-Camp Half-Blood necklace; it has a bead for summer she’s
Suite: Metal. One floor.
In-Character Samples:
Third Person:
Once Annabeth realized the kedan that were her ride to civilization weren’t going to be helpful, she stopped asking questions. It was a waste of her time. The cart wasn’t the most comfortable of transportation, but she’d also used worse, so she brushed off the bumps and rattling. Settled in as best she could, crossing her arms and staring up at the sky. She felt weakened at first, suspecting her unconsciousness in the water was to blame, but the longer she was awake and out of it, the better she began to feel.
Tu Vishan. Not something she had ever heard before, and now that she had time to process this fact, it was driving her up the wall. It wasn’t like she was surprised of its existence – quite the opposite, really. If the mist could hide a second camp full of Roman demigods, why couldn’t a place like this exist?
No, the worst part was how little she could glean from what she was told. Nothing about it sounded particularly familiar, beyond some Native American mythology surrounding a turtle’s back being the world. But this was clearly not the same – similar in concept, but it was also a world between the living and the dead. She wasn’t completely positive, but she was fairly certain the turtle was the earth in that story. Or was it holding up the world? The sky? Both? The latter didn’t seem possible, given she’d seen that happen and done it herself and it hadn’t been a turtle. Besides, she knew for a fact that the gods existed along Greek veins back home – how well would a variety mesh?
But it was something to consider, when she could leave and got back home. Maybe other things were being hidden by mist. That was for later. For now she had to figure out why she had virtually no knowledge of this place.
She listened carefully as the kedan prattled away, but not all of it made sense. It was information to store for later, once she could put it into a broader context – surely it would help create a bigger picture then. She studied her surroundings as they trudged along, but there didn’t seem to be much. The kedan resembled humans, though she noticed right away discrepancies – like when one of the first things she saw upon getting pulled from the water and waking was an extra finger on one of them. It set her guard up instantly, and though her current guides didn’t seem to be hostile, there was no telling what she would face once they reached Keeliai. Despite knowing it was there, she touched her own fingers briefly against her knife, a reassurance.
The whole thing didn’t seem particularly dangerous. She’d found herself in much worse, and this time, she’d be prepared for a sudden dark turn. No surprise attacks would get the better of her. She hated to admit it, but the real downside was being alone. It wasn’t like she couldn’t take care of herself, gods no. But the support of her friends, backup – well, that was always nice. And right now they were all back on the Argo II. Well, except one.
To be honest, one of the most annoying realizations about this little detour was the reunion it delayed. She’d been so close, after eight long months, to seeing Percy again. And now she was here. Stuck. It better not be for long.
She blew angrily at a tuft of loose hair, then tucked it behind her ear. Why her? Was there a reason she was taken to this place above anyone else? She’d probably get the answer soon enough, but it didn’t stop her from being impatient now.
The kedan lumbered along, chatting and chatting. It was idle, too idle. With a sigh, Annabeth settled in again more comfortably, but in a position that made for an easy get away if necessary. There was nothing left to do but continue to take advantage of the ride and continue keeping watch as the world unfolded. Maybe there would be familiar faces in her destination, but she wasn’t holding on to that hope. She had to prepare to be in this alone.
Network: [A teenager, roughly sixteen but no older than seventeen, flicks on the video. She looks pretty hesitant about showing her face, biting her lip and nervously running a hand through her hair, which is pulled back into a ponytail, and so she pulls out some strands with the motion, and the curls dangle. With careful attention, you might notice a streak of grey amongst the blonde. ]
[But then she straightens up and her expression becomes something more determined.]
First thing’s first. I need to know if anyone here is familiar with or from ‘Camp Half-Blood.’ [She pauses, then somewhat begrudgingly:] Or ‘Camp Jupiter,’ I guess.
[A sigh, then another pause. She taps her fingers on something off-screen]
Since a good chunk of the population doesn’t really seem to be native, just how long have you all been here? I want to know if it’s a common trend or a newer phenomenon.
And does anyone know anything more about this place? Things you might have picked up on your own. I understand the basics, and I gather most of the newer residents have gotten similar lectures upon arrival, so don’t bother with reiterating. I’m mostly curious about things the kedan haven’t explained. I tried asking questions on the cart ride, but the ones who found me weren’t the most talkative on the way here. I’ve learned next to nothing about this Emperor.
[Her eyes widen slightly, as if she’s had a sudden realization] I thought I heard mention of a library – can someone tell me where it is? Or maybe it was a book store? Either way, the question still stands.