The Ninth Trial

[advisories]

Who: everyone
When: Day 18, starting just after dawn
Where: The Hermit's Tent, and all around

[This morning as the sun begins to pour through the train's windows, there's the tremor that signals a Trial.]

Come hither, Heroes. Prove thy worth. Or something like that!

[It's the same older man's voice from the sixth trial, and outside is the same fortune teller's stall. Today the front flap is lifted to show a normal interior -- there's a wooden table, carved with geometric patterns and painted in bright colours, lit by teal-coloured carved candles.

At the table sits a man of indeterminate age, somewhere between 30 and 60. He's wearing what appear to be monk's robes, teal with patterned trimming. In front of him is a crystal ball and a stack of bingo cards, along with a stand-up sign bearing the rules of this Trial.

Across the top in large font, it says:

Icebreaker Bingo

Good luck and have fun!]

Comments

[bowtiedbones]

[SCISSORS!!!]

No!

[bad_crowmance]

Alright! I won!

[ He grins and holds out his hand to her. ]

Good game.

[bowtiedbones]

[shakes his hand, good game!]

Such is luck! Spend your winnings wisely.

[bad_crowmance]

It'll go to the excellent cause of knocking down the list of things I wanna buy.

[bowtiedbones]

What's on your wishlist?

[bad_crowmance]

Let's see... a cat toy, some more outfits, an addition to my room....

[bowtiedbones]

Do you have a cat?

[bad_crowmance]

No, but you never know when a cat toy might come in handy!

[bowtiedbones]

Would you say that cats are your favorite animal?

[bad_crowmance]

Cats and birds, it's pretty much a tossup.

[bowtiedbones]

What about griffins?

[bad_crowmance]

I can't recall having ever seen any but my first thoughts are positive.

[bowtiedbones]

They're pretty great. They look really fierce, but they make the cutest noises.

[bad_crowmance]

Heh! That sounds pretty great. I'd love to see one someday.

[bowtiedbones]

I hope you get to see one. Enjoy cats, enjoy birds, enjoy both at once!

[bad_crowmance]

You're a wise woman, Eliza. Wanna do another square?

[bowtiedbones]

Heck yes I am. And sure! I'll keep playing until I have a bingo or more.

Do you want to pick the challenge this turn?

[bad_crowmance]

Sounds like a good plan.

[ He glances at his own card. Technically, he's one away from a bingo but he flatly refuses to do that last square. So-- ]

Wanna play "wed, bed, behead"?

[bowtiedbones]

Okay! It's so much better when the rhyming name for that game gets used.

[bad_crowmance]

The other name's more fun to say! Anyway, your first three choices are 80H, Naeva, and Jusis.

[bowtiedbones]

But it’s not as cute!

Mmm... bed Naeva. I would say wed for her, since she’s great, but she’s a Queen and being a concubine might be too high-profile for me. Jusis seems like it would be more of a working relationship than a romantic one, but I’m okay with that, so marry him... Behead 80H? She’s pretty and smart, but I’m not going to date or sleep with someone that doesn’t have me on a first-name basis.

[bad_crowmance]

Your reasoning's pretty solid.

[bowtiedbones]

Big choices need thorough deliberation~

[bad_crowmance]

Of course! I wouldn't expect any less from you.

[bowtiedbones]

Thanks.

Your turn now! Same three.