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

[bad_crowmance]

I won't lie, that was the first place my mind went.

[desirestruth]

Well, you won't run out anytime soon, then.

[bad_crowmance]

I won't complain about that.

[desirestruth]

I somehow thought you wouldn't.

[She does laugh a little.]

You should pick the next square, though.

[bad_crowmance]

Let's do a round or two of "wed, bed, or behead"!

[desirestruth]

...Alright, then. 80H, Eliza, and...[Pause.] Finn.

[bad_crowmance]

Hmmm.

[ He takes a moment to seriously consider that. ]

Wed Eliza, bed 80H, behead Finn.

[desirestruth]

Oh no. Poor Finn.

[She snickers a bit.] Eliza really is good marriage material though, isn't she?

[Like, seriously. She's engaged but she can recognize.]

[bad_crowmance]

Finn's a good guy, it's really a tragedy. But Eliza's definitely the kind of girl to work hard and bring in the money, so she'd be a great marriage choice.

[desirestruth]

Ohhh, in it just for the support, Crow?

[bad_crowmance]

Why else would I be getting married?

[desirestruth]

...For you, I can't see much other reasons, it's true.

[Shrug. There's no judgement to it. But he's clearly not in the market for love, and she doesn't think he comes off as the kind of person who'd have to consider politics...finances are a perfectly legitimate arrangement.]

[bad_crowmance]

Exactly! It'd work out pretty well that way.

[desirestruth]

As long as you both knew what you were getting into, at least.

[bad_crowmance]

Of course, I'm not a complete asshole.

[ His tone's amused, a grin playing on the corners of his lips. ]

[desirestruth]

No, of course not. You don't like opening up, but you're pretty honest about your intentions, right?

[This is an incredibly funny statement and Naeva will never know why.]

[bad_crowmance]

Heh! I could be subtle about 'em but I don't wanna.

[ He's going to ignore that part about him not liking opening up, thanks. ]

[desirestruth]

[And she'll let it slide.]

I don't believe you have a single subtle bone in your body. But it's your turn to name names.

[bad_crowmance]

Guess you'll never find out. Hlasoh, 80H, Lucien.

[desirestruth]

...Wed Lucien, bed 80H, behead...Hlasoh...

[she feels bad about it but Hlasoh isn't her type...]

[bad_crowmance]

I'd wondered if Lucien would get wed or bed!

[desirestruth]

You sleep with your spouse, Crow. That doesn't stop after the wedding.

[bad_crowmance]

Yeah but if there separate options, that leads to the conclusion that for some reason you're being stopped from bedding the person you wed.

[desirestruth]

I always saw it as you'd bed someone but wouldn't commit to a longer-term arrangement, myself?

[She is considering this, though.]

[bad_crowmance]

But if that's the case, why would anyone pick people separately for them instead of just going "hey, actually I'd wed AND bed Lucien and kill the other two options."