The Twenty Second Trial

[hot_mess_express]

Who: You
When: Day 49, Morning
Where:

The entrance today is a huge, ornate stone archway. A gossamer veil glittering like starlight upon water hangs inside it, fluttering as if caught in a gentle breeze. It's impossible to say what might lie beyond; even if you walk around the other side — and it's perfectly possible to do so — you just see the same thing.

SIGN-UPS | MINGLE | INSTRUCTIONS | ROOMS | ENDGAME | REVIVALS
Winners are Ginger, Thyme, Jasmine, and Licorice!

Comments

MINGLE

[hot_mess_express]

Through the veil lies a vast hall beautifully carved from the rock itself, deep, deep underground. It's a work of architectural art, not unlike a cathedral, and it's illuminated by hundreds of shining crystalline lamps. The air is clean and fresh, crisp without being chilled.

The gentle rush of running water can be heard somewhere nearby …

At the end of the hall are six doors, smaller than the archway but equally ornate. Each has veins of a team's colour running through the dark wood.

Re: MINGLE

[dismemberthename]

Oooh, fancy. Is this the usual?

Re: MINGLE

[bad_crowmance]

[ Crow lets out a low whistle. ]

Damn, now this is fancy.

Re: MINGLE

[dismemberthename]

So this isn't common! Think they're pulling out all the stops?

Re: MINGLE

[bad_crowmance]

Kinda looks like it. Question is what kind of Trial they're running this time.

Re: MINGLE

[dismemberthename]

We'll keep my fingers crossed for fun but also keep our hopes low.

Re: MINGLE

[bad_crowmance]

That's usually the best way to do it!

Re: MINGLE

[dismemberthename]

It's worked out for us so far. Kinda.

Re: MINGLE

[bad_crowmance]

It's better than panicking, at any rate.

INSTRUCTIONS/INFO

[hot_mess_express]

INFO
All inhuman advantages, powers and abilities are OFF from the moment they enter their team's room. Non-human bodies are fine unless they have the aforementioned benefits.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: If you're OOCly uncomfortable with a task you've been presented with, please let me know ASAP and I'll work with you to figure out an alternative.
OTHER IMPORTANT NOTE: It's possible that characters may die from injuries over the course of the game.

TIMING
All times are in EST. Below is a general guideline — the extra time is for me to do some work behind the scenes, but I will, as always, endeavour to get it done as quickly as possible!

Round 1: 6pm - 7:15pm
Round 2: 7:30pm - 8:45pm
Round 3: 9pm - 10:15pm
Round 4: 10:30pm - 11:45pm

TEAM INSTRUCTIONS
✰ To survive, each team needs to end round 4 with a total of six keys. Anything less than six means death; anything more than six means extra points.

✰ Each round, teams will have the choice between a "light" trial (worth 1 key), and a "heavy" trial (worth 2 keys).

✰ Once during the game, at any point, they may choose to hand off a trial to another team of their choice. They still get to keep the key(s).

✰ During round 4, they will have the opportunity to steal a maximum of 2 keys. There is no obligation for them to do so. They may: do nothing; take one key from one team; take two keys from one team; take one key each from two teams.

✰ If a team refuses to do a trial and cannot or will not pass it off, they cannot move forward and will not earn any keys.

ROOMS

[hot_mess_express]

Ginger
Thyme
Senna
Jasmine
Licorice
Clover

Re: MINGLE

[beeknighted]

This is a trial? It's very fancy.

[featherbeaned]

[ guess who figured out how to shapeshift into a REAL GIRL earlier this morning ]

[ EXCITED FASCINATED SQUEAK ]

Wow, wow! Wow!

[beeknighted]

[...that voice is familiar...]

[featherbeaned]

Hi! Isn't this amazing? Look! It's so big, and the lights are all shiny-!

[ she takes a bouncy step towards him-! ]

[ ... And trips over her own feet, down she goes ]

[beeknighted]

Look out!

[Goes to catch her, but no, they're both going down.]

[featherbeaned]

Ahahaha!

[ Pushes herself up off him, or tries to; they might be tangled ]

Why do humans have two legs? Two legs are hard.

[ Sorry if he's covered in her exceptionally floofy hair. (He is definitely covered in her exceptionally floofy hair.) ]

ENDGAME

[hot_mess_express]

Water. You’re underwater, and you know that you have precious seconds left before you run out of air. You need, you need to get out, you need to get out now, before you drown, before whatever other wounds the trials left you with finish you off, you need you need YOU NEED —

When — if — you manage to reach the surface, you'll find yourself back in the hall you started in. Everything's exactly the same … except for the ring of seven foot deep, circular pools in the middle. There are probably still people trying to clamber out of them. There may also be some corpses.

((While the poisons from round 2 were not necessarily fatal, they can be! As can cumulative injuries. I leave it to your judgement and preference. The mental afflictions may begin to fade immediately — or maybe not. They can linger for a maximum of one day.))

REVIVALS

[hot_mess_express]

You come to, feeling as if you've had a bad dream ...

And possibly in some amount of lingering pain; the revival may or may not have fixed all of your hurts.

Re: ENDGAME

[bad_crowmance]

[ Crow climbs out of the water with his right ear missing and his eyes continually darting around rather than focusing on anyone. ]

Well, that was interesting!

[ His tone is light, calm. Casual!

Internally? He's homicidal. ]

Re: ENDGAME

[bowtiedbones]

[hauling herself from the water, pulling teammates along with her before just, freezing. one knee on the rim of the pool, halfway out.



there sure are a lot more people out here to hallucinate about, huh.]

[featherbeaned]

[ One of the dead and drowned is a Clover, with blood all over her face and chin. Her arms and hands are — bad. Mauled, especially the right, half eaten by a hungry beast with sharp teeth. ]

[ Spoilers: the beast was her. ]

[bluediligence]

[ GLUB GLUB FLAIL GLUB GLUB ]

Re: ENDGAME

[ruinatings]

[Rufus crawls out of the water looking unscathed! He's also... carrying a half-eaten chunk of someone's arm in his hand.

He stands up, shakes his head, and scowls.]

How stupid.

[He says, taking another bite.]

[ruinatings]

[here let me help?]

Easy now.

[he's at least physically fine and can pull her out]