"I have one last question please. Do all of us have to return at the same time? Might an injured soul return early without forfeiting for the rest?"
Duncan proudly showed off the multi-colored sigil to the spy eye, "So this marks me as captain and leader of Team Orra."
He turned sideways, "To all the sponsors watching this... please have your proposals ready because this team will be the one going all he way to the end and..", he turned around again, "... and will get the most spy eye time."
Duncan then waved to his mother, "I love you mom."
---------
Khaddar jerks his hand up to grab Duncan's midwave, and squeezes till the bones click. He holds his other hand out to rest his fingers in Ilfana's fur, lightly touching skin through the ruff of her neck. "Yer the bloody captain when everyone -says- yer the bloody captain, ye wee biter. No before. May we bring honor tae oor families, may we bring honor tae oorselves, may we stand proud in victory oor in defeat. Yay Torag."
Once the mark is placed, Elia withdraws her hand, rubbing it slightly. Part of me expected it to hurt, but that was...strangely pleasant. Warm. As the others speak to the spy-eye, Elia remains quiet, simply looking straight into it and pressing her hands together into a gesture of calm as she bows slightly. If Aelis had found a way to watch that didn't involve being in this press of people (which she knew the druidess would hate), words weren't necessary - the two women were quiet by nature, and they'd already exchanged all the words they needed.
And there was no one else watching for her, no one else waiting to see what fate held for the witchwolf woman.
Adjusting her pack on her back and digging one thick hand into Ifanna's fur, she extends the other hand to Quinn. I am ready.
Khaddar jerks his hand up to grab Duncan's midwave, and squeezes till the bones click. He holds his other hand out to rest his fingers in Ilfana's fur, lightly touching skin through the ruff of her neck. "Yer the bloody captain when everyone -says- yer the bloody captain, ye wee biter. No before. May we bring honor tae oor families, may we bring honor tae oorselves, may we stand proud in victory oor in defeat. Yay Torag."
"Au, au, au, the hand, the hand... I need it to call the 'boonies'."
Duncan looked at Jibril, "But you said that I was the leader of Team Orra. You had all agreed to this."
He got a little closer to the dwarf to see if he could smell any alcohol in his breath, "Don't you remember this?"
"I have one last question please. Do all of us have to return at the same time? Might an injured soul return early without forfeiting for the rest?"
The old elf shook his head. "There is no exiting the GameField before the end of the Game. There are zones of respite, where one can wait out the rest of the Game in safety. They carry this symbol." He spun his hands in the air, creating a pale green symbol that hovered in the air between them, before dissipating once again. "If you choose to enter one, you are forfeiting your right to finish the game, but you will be safe there until the doors open.
He looked at them, then glanced at the team at the next door, who were waiting for him. "Any last questions? The doors will open soon, and I must finish with the last team."
"No, ye weedy little pratt, yer the only one that agreed ye were the leader. If ye were silent for -five- bloody minutes, ye'd hear what an offensive t&*# ye are! While ye continue tae be a self-absorbed pillock, you'll no ever have my vote. Divorce yer ego from yer ren, lad, and be kind and respectful o' yer elders, and perhaps ye'll earn some respect a' yer own. If'n ye fail tae be respectful, ye may find I've tied yer nose tae yer navel fer some deep contemplation." The Dwarf growls snappishly at the blonde human and squares his shoulders back, lifting his chin and focusing his eyes intently on the door, with no sign of releasing his kraken-grip on Duncan's delicate fingers. "Now Dwarf-up and pay attention. Yer about tae learn the meaning o' the word 'Cooperation'."
"This is not good. We are at the very door and an argument is brewing. Jibril stares into Duncan Clayton's face I said that I think you should be the public face of Team Orra and that we should all make decisions as a group. I believe I also said in matters of the moment, in the midst of a fight, we should listen to the strategy of Khaddar or the instincts of Elia. Jibril's voice softens I believe a leader will present itself, but, young Dun Can, that is not some magic button your mother can buy for you. If you are all that you believe then it will be you and not even the shrewd and formidable Khaddar Khaggan can stop it. For myself, I find you naive, presumptuous, and wholly wrapped up in the appearance of things ... but for all of that I find that I like you. You are sincere, unguarded. You are comfortable in this world I feel lost in, and I think I saw something ferocious in you when Khaddar was wounded by that first arrow. I think, I believe, that you might be the biggest surprise of this team. I hope that you find yourself soon enough. This, however, is not why we are here. We are not here to help you find yourself. We are here to go through that door. Khaddar is right and I would not be surprised that this human word 'cooperation' might have a dwarven root." Perhaps it is a matter of mothers ... young Clay Ton has the love of his, that is clear. Only one other of our team knows where their mother is right now ... for a certainty anyway. Is Quinn's mother watching? I am not sure that is not part of why people dislike him. Jibril rubs at something under his shirt at his neck.
Quinn flexed her hand as the tattoo appeared, making sure there was no damage to her dexterity. She then tests herself by lifting Duncan's pocket mirror.
Satisfied that her talents are intact, she hands the mirror back to Duncan and says, "You dropped this." She quirks an eyebrow at him, "Are you sure you don't have any holes in your clothing? First your money and now this. You should really be more careful with your things. I won't always be around to find them for you."
As the conversation turned towards arguing about leadership, Quinn snapped, "Enough! We need to concentrate on not dying and how to succeed with our door. The last thing we should be doing right now is having this discussion." She was so frazzled, first by the reporter then by Timothy and now by needless arguing, that she forgot any possible question she had for the official.
Grabbing Elia's offered hand, she took a calming breath before echoing, "Ready."
Quinn flexed her hand as the tattoo appeared, making sure there was no damage to her dexterity. She then tests herself by lifting Duncan's pocket mirror.
Satisfied that her talents are intact, she hands the mirror back to Duncan and says, "You dropped this." She quirks an eyebrow at him, "Are you sure you don't have any holes in your clothing? First your money and now this. You should really be more careful with your things. I won't always be around to find them for you."
As the conversation turned towards arguing about leadership, Quinn snapped, "Enough! We need to concentrate on not dying and how to succeed with our door. The last thing we should be doing right now is having this discussion." She was so frazzled, first by the reporter then by Timothy and now by needless arguing, that she forgot any possible question she had for the official.
Grabbing Elia's offered hand, she took a calming breath before echoing, "Ready."
An already gloomy and sad Duncan merely nods to Quuinn and once more pockets his mirror.
He was unusually quiet and doing to introspecting to see what could be done with the dour dwarf he was forced to lead.
Thinking of the dwarf reminded him of his pain, which he tried hard to suppress, Aw, aw, that really, really hurts.
A slightly unsteady Team Orra stood in front of the Mind Door. A slightly awkward moment later, and the trumpets blared again. A ringing tune, meant to inspire the heart and rouse courage. As the last notes trailed away, a loud click reverberated from the heavy door before them. A second later, and it swung open. A quick look to either side revealed that all thirteen doors had opened simultaneously.
A blast of cold air rushed over them, raising goosebumps. Which was strange, considering that there was no roof over the GameFields - the open sky was overhead inside as well as out.
Ahead of them was a narrow hallway, only a few feet wide. It seemed to go straight for twenty metres or so, then it either ended at a wall or door, or perhaps there was an intersection...it was difficult to tell from here.
One thing was clear - it would be single file for the moment.
On either side of them, teams drew weapons, or didn't, and headed into their doors.
Eagerly "I would go first if no one else wishes to but it would seem better for me to be second or third. I can be exceptionally precise when I need to be and being tallest, and having such remarkable eyesight, could probably manage a shot past two."
Squinting down the hall, it seems to Jibril that the hallway dead-ends ahead, at what appears to be a stone wall.
With the recent scolding still fresh, Duncan was going to take the lead but looks at the pain-dealing dwarf, "Well, are you going to go first?"
He conjured light which he affixed to one of his earrings and peered into the dark to try and see what's going on.
------------------
Quinn gave an exasperated sigh and pushed her way past the 'men'. "I'll go first and make sure you all don't hurt yourselves. Try to keep up."
Not knowing what to expect, she moved forward cautiously. She knew what kind of trickery others were capable of so she trusted in her sixth sense to keep her out of danger.
Unless I hear otherwise, I'll assume the marching order is Quinn, Jibril, Khaddar, Duncan, Elia, Ifanna.
The end of the corridor. That's how long it is.
Yes, Jibril follows Quinn in. His bow is off his shoulder but he seems inattentive and is often looking up from the roofless corridor.
"If that's where I was best needed, aye... but yon expert is best at her job, lad. Let's all keep an open eye, an open ear, and an open mind here. Be aware o' floors what ain't what they appear, and walls what hide crossbows tripped by wire. Just because this is no the trap door, don't mean we won't see magics o' the School o' Illusion laid on oor haeds."
Khaddar tromps merrily in behind Jibril, keen to get a move on, keen to get The Game on, and keen to put his body into motion. His own senses are remarkably well trained, but Jibril's elven blood makes his point ears tender as a baby's tongue.
As they march down to fill the cooridor he remarks over his shoulder "In case a wall comes oot, or the floor caves in, ye keep a body's length between us, aye?"
As they march down to fill the cooridor he remarks over his shoulder "In case a wall comes oot, or the floor caves in, ye keep a body's length between us, aye?"
Duncan fell in line behind the dwarf, glad to be away from those meaty paws of his.
His reply sounded strange to him, "Aye." His mind wondered, I'm not sure what he means. His body length or my body length?
He looked to see if the girl and wolf were bringing up the rear and said, "Do what he said, OK?"
Team Orra made their way cautiously through the door and into the corridor. As soon as Ifanna passed through the door, it slammed shut with an echoing boom.
The team moved down the corridor, being careful to keep some distance between them. As they approached the end, it became clear that it was a smooth stone wall in front of them; no door or opening to be seen.
As Quinn examined the dead end for signs of a secret door, it was Jibril's keen eyes that noticed a strange pattern in the cobbled floor beneath their feet. It would seem that their secret door was beneath their feet!
Once she saw it, the rogue knelt down and examined it carefully. Not finding any sign of a trap, she felt around the edges, and it didn't take her long to find a depression. She pressed it, and the trap door dropped down a few inches, then slid smoothly sideways, leaving a rough-edged opening, roughly one metre in diameter.
It was dark below, with a vague flickering reddish light, seemingly far below. The trapdoor appeared to open into some sort of cavern.
Duncan moved to the edge of the hole and peered down. He then stuck his hand through the opening. "I just want to make sure it's real. Lots of illusions around here. You know this, right?"
He added, "I mean that wise old elf was no 'wise old elf'. This game is all tricks and illusions."
tag?
He then reached behind the dwarf's ear and conjured up a light source, "Aha, you are bright master dwarf."
He asked, "Do you want me to put this light on a coin and toss it down there or put it at the end of a rope and lower it down?"
tag?
Quinn agreed that they needed more light down into the cavern but didn't like the idea of throwing away money. "Let's not be too hasty about throwing a coin down into a cavern. How about we try lighting the end of a rope." She pulled out hers and handed it to Duncan, "Here, use this."
"Does anyone have a grappling hook? Or a pole over three feet? We could lower people down but what is the last to do? Clearly, there is no way else but down."
"Aye, it's a chimney, lad. I could walk doon that with no trouble. Drop yer coin, though... It's -glowin- so we'll no lose it, lass, and we kin see where it bounces further than me Mine-Sight will show."
Quinn's rope will do. A few knots and climbing it's easy. But Ifanna can't - we'll have to lower her. Taking the glowing end of the rope, Elia drops to her knees and fastens it around the wolf's chest, creating a makeshift harness to distribute the weight. Ifanna squirms uncomfortably, but Elia lets out a series of low whines and she calms, submitting to the binding. I'll lower her, then stay up here and hold the rope while everyone else goes down. Jibril, you first - you're good with Ifanna. Untie her and keep her calm. Everyone else, follow and stay sharp. I'll come last, bring the rope with me.
While peering down to see if Duncan's light reveals a bottom. To Elia Very good - once we determine if there is a bottom. Please lower my pack after me.
When the glowing coin is dropped, it appears that the bottom is ten meters down or so, though the coin doesn't seem to shed as much light as it should. They try again with Quinn's rope - lighting a knot at the end, and then lowering it down. By carefully counting the arm-lengths until it hit the bottom, they determined that the floor of the cavern was nine meters down.
Jibril went first. It was an easy climb down the rope, with the others holding it steady. When he reaches the bottom and looks around, he feels a deep horror. It's as if he's landed in the very bowels of Hell. The air reeks of sulphur and blood, and mounds of melting rock slither beside pools of fire. In the shadows he can hear the lash of the whip, and screams of the tortured. Strange shadows play at the edge of his vision, as if demons and devils are cavorting just out of sight.
Between the pools of lava and fire, there was solid ground twisting this way and that. Jibril could see no way out of the cavern, though it was difficult to be sure with all the twisting shadows and steam. One wall of the cavern he could see clearly, seemingly made of black volcanic glass, slick and shiny. About 4 meters up a jagged shelf jutted from the wall, and several objects rested on the shelf.
Jibril drops down on one knee and braces himself. He tears off a strip of his already tattered cloak and wraps it around his mouth and nose like a bandit. [i]It's not helping[/i] He looks up, stands waving his hand in the air in front of his nose while looking up at the team. He teeters uncontrollably for a second. He nochs an arrow, and stands guard.
Some of the stink rising from below made Duncan pull out a perfumed handkerchief which he held up to his nose. He yelled down to Jibril, "What's that smell?"
tag?
He then turned to his companions above, "Can I go back and ask about this? There must be some mistake. We are here for the brain door, you know, puzzles, maybe even a guessing game..."
He winked at Duncan, "I'm very good at those games."
He concluded, "This must be a mistake and I will get this straightened out 'pronto'"
tag?
Jibril, shaken and anxious, surrounded by a cabal of torturing demon shadows, waits with his bow at the ready trying not to make a noise to rouse this devilish kin ... then a booming voice from above:
"What's that smell?"
. Jibril pauses, waiting for the monsters to come, then shouts back "A noxious sulphurous miasma perhaps laid by the cabal of torturous demon shadows all about me!"
Jibril, shaken and anxious, surrounded by a cabal of torturing demon shadows, waits with his bow at the ready trying not to make a noise to rouse this devilish kin ... then a booming voice from above:"What's that smell?". Jibril pauses, waiting for the monsters to come, then shouts back "A noxious sulphurous miasma perhaps laid by the cabal of torturous demon shadows all about me!"
A very naive Duncan shouted back, "It's OK Jibril. It's not real! The demons are probably kids or something."
He then turned to his companions above, "Can I go back and ask about this? There must be some mistake. We are here for the brain door, you know, puzzles, maybe even a guessing game..."
He winked at Duncan, "I'm very good at those games."
He concluded, "This must be a mistake and I will get this straightened out 'pronto'"
Is this after Duncan goes down the rope? What's our climbing order? Jibril, Ifanna, Duncan, Khaddar, Quinn, Elia? How will Elia get down? Drop and be caught? Or tie the rope off to something up top (grappling hook?).
Is this after Duncan goes down the rope? What's our climbing order? Jibril, Ifanna, Duncan, Khaddar, Quinn, Elia? How will Elia get down? Drop and be caught? Or tie the rope off to something up top (grappling hook?).He then turned to his companions above, "Can I go back and ask about this? There must be some mistake. We are here for the brain door, you know, puzzles, maybe even a guessing game..."
He winked at Duncan, "I'm very good at those games."
He concluded, "This must be a mistake and I will get this straightened out 'pronto'"
All OOC:
I'm thinking this is all before he goes down the rope. He will have some more reactions once he goes down there. :)
I'm also hoping that we can tie the rope somewhere or use the grappling hook to catch the 'edge' of this 'hole/opening'.
In an emergency, Duncan can 'float' down there but we would not have any way to come back up so leaving a rope is 'important'.
I'm waiting for Khaddar to grab Duncan by the belt and tell him to 'sit down and be quiet'. :)
Game on!
Quinn looked doubtful. "I have a grappling hook but I'd rather not be leaving equipment behind. I doubt that we'll be coming back. I think we'll always be moving forward."
"This must be a mistake and I will get this straightened out 'pronto'"
Quinn snorted, "There's nothing to get straightened out, Duncan. We're on our own now and you just need to be a good dandy and suck it up."
"Aye, yer light, lass. We'll do a blanket catch at the end. Let me get me bedroll out doon there and yer set..." Khaddar shimmies down the rope at speed, and clunks to the floor. Expecting illusions, expecting trickery, he immediately squares off, steels himself, and spits into the nearest 'pool of molten rock'.
Once he's squared himself he drops his pack and quickly unfastens his bedroll from the leather straps, then shakes it out and gestures for Quinn and Jibril to take the other end. They can center themselves below the hole and hopefully Elia will land squarely in the blanket! It's a very long way down...
"I don't see a way out from here! But I see a self ahead- impossible to climb to, and the path is treacherous! The shelf is laden with something!" Why are these demons not advancing? Jibril takes Khaddar's lead, set down his bow and grabs the blanket - then looks nervously up.
Ifanna was carefully lowered down the rope; she began snarling about halfway down. It took all of Jibril's animal skills and patience to get the frightened wolf untied and under control.
Duncan made his way down the rope, with Khaddar hot on his heels. Quinn followed more carefully, then Elia dropped the rope down behind her.
Khaddar may not have believed that they were in hell, but it surely looked, smelled, and sounded real. It was difficult to concentrate on anything with the tortured screams coming from far in the distance, and this hissing of lava and steam. Despite this, the four shaken companions managed to take a corner each of the blanket, and hold it steady under Elia. When she judged that they were lined up properly, she lowered herself carefully until she was hanging from the lip of the hole, then she let herself fall.
The witchwolf landed squarely in the blanket, bouncing lightly before they lowered her to the ground. Miraculously unharmed, she immediately shuddered, as the hellish landscape flooded her senses.
Jibril fires a durable arrow at the glass wall to see if it will bury itself. If it sticks he might be able to create a makeshift ladder up the volcanic glass wall ... for someone light anyway.
This place suuuuuuuucks...
Khaddar is all hackles and annoyance, but he has to put his bedroll away, so he's clearly fiddling with his removed pack on the ground, shuffling the heavy leather-clad frame around as he buckles the rolled bedding to the bottom. The gut-twisting weirdness of this place is either some -admirable- carpentry, or some freaky-deaky magic that is really grinding the dwarf's teeth.
Duncan continued to mumble to himself, "It's all an illusion. An illusion. An illusion."
He shuddered and wrapped his arms around himself despite the heat, "Who the hell picked this door?"
He pulled out a colorful feather, cast light on it, and put behind his ear to illuminate the place.
"Alright, fun's over mister! Now just give us our puzzle."
Quinn scrambled down the rope and immediately regretted their choice of the mind door when her insides clenched with nervousness. Normally she liked the shadows but there was something about this cavern that was downright unnerving and put her on edge. From what she could tell, she wasn't the only one feeling this way. She restowed her rope as she tried to get her bearings.
She shook her head sadly at Duncan, "I think this is our puzzle, Duncan. No one is giving us anything different."
Quinn looked at the shelf that Jibril had pointed out. "That's as good a place to start as anywhere. Jibril, can you give me a boost and I'll see what's up on that shelf. Maybe it's something helpful."
"Aye... anyone got a bag o' marbles? Spill 'em out o'er the floor and we'll see if there's any holes or the like."
Team Orra stood clumped under the trapdoor, which suddenly slammed shut with an unnaturally loud clang. What little light had been filtering from up top disappeared, leaving them in the, hopefully illusory, bowels of hell.
Jibril's arrow clanged off the wall and fell to the ground. As Quinn started to make her way carefully forward towards the shelf....
fail
save
fail
"Aye... anyone got a bag o' marbles? Spill 'em out o'er the floor and we'll see if there's any holes or the like."
Duncan checked his pockets, "Marbles. The she dog painted tomatoes before going to the sun."
Duncan stopped and tried to hear himself talk. He asked, "Spidery bolts cracking fireworks?"
He stopped again, "Wait, that made no sense. Something just tried to cast a spell on me. There's wizard somewhere here. Is everyone OK?"
"Why should someone bring marbles!? A child's toy? Are you saying we Are children?! You have been casting your little aspersions on us since we met!! Oh, wait ... wait a moment ... sorry, you were right ... I think I do have something Jibril reaches under his pack Jibril drops his bow, draws his hammer into his right hand and his cruel gandasa with it's foot long hook blade into his left. He slashes right left trying to gut Khaddar. Then he tries to follow up with the hammer blow straight down on his skull. He is wild minded and trying to fight two handed.