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

[desirestruth]

[Sluuuurp.]

I find it very unlikely you'll want or find it healthy to share this meal, otherwise, not particularly.

[grimpa]

[you do you, strange girl,]

Then, what's a goal of yours?

[desirestruth]

I'd like to restore the prisms so I can go home and actually go on my honeymoon?

[her life is suffering, zol.]

[grimpa]

--You're married? What awful timing. It must be terrible not to be able to be with your partner.

[desirestruth]

....It can't really be helped, can it? Certainly, I can't argue this situation isn't dire.

[grimpa]

[nods]

We all have to try our hardest to clear the prisms, so everyone can be reunited.

[desirestruth]

[...she considers mentioning Lucien is here but doesn't remember but, that's more information than he needs, right? Right.]

Yes.

[grimpa]

[I mean that's KINDA tragic, in a different way, maybe, if it's not hilarious instead,]

[he nods again!]

I'd also like to see them cleared, as a goal, but I want to remember more about who I am. What role I played in my community, specifically.

[desirestruth]

[Her life is a comical parade of pain.]

It's a fair wish...hopefully you achieve this soon.

[grimpa]

[nods]

Thank you.

[and checks his card--]

I could use "sharing something you like about yourself" and ..."exchanging nicknames," if those are ones you need as well?

[desirestruth]

They're not, but I don't mind doing them if you can help me figure out what kind of experiment or prank we could even perform, here.

[She considers this, though, and tilts her head.]

I'm quite proud of the length and luster of my hair.

[grimpa]

You clearly take care of it. For myself, I'm persistent, which I feel is important for reaching one's goals.

...As for experiments... The only thing I can think is tampering to see the effects of some of the natural plantlife here, but that could prove dangerous. For pranks...

[.................I'm not the pranking type at the best of times I mean,]

[desirestruth]

...I suppose we could always test whether or not my powers work on the natural plantlife.

[grimpa]

What power?

[desirestruth]

One of my forms of magic involves the manipulation of the life energy of living things. It works on plants, but I'm not sure how...real, any of this is.

[What she means is, she's cut off from much of her senses and can't even feel a hint of her connection to her kingdom, so everything here feels a little dreamlike to her.

but explaining is hard.]

[grimpa]

[nods, making SOME kind of meaning for that at least]

The Prince has shared that the world we're on isn't as it's meant to be. If you would like to try, we could could take a look at some of the mushrooms that grow in the tunnels.

[desirestruth]

You'd have to lead the way, I haven't explored much, yet.

[grimpa]

I can lead. There's not much down there now, but I've been getting a sense of the layout. Perhaps we could fill the nickname square on the way?

[desirestruth]

...I'm not very good at them, but I'll try, at least.

[grimpa]

Me either, I admit. Then-- for you, what about Cereus? They're pale flowers that bloom only at night.

[desirestruth]

Oh, that's pretty...for you, then...

[A long pause.] Carpenter?

[...she tried.]

[grimpa]

[he nods tho!!]

I can accept that.