[AUTOMATED EXAM] Enter The Labyrinth (Y1-Y2)

[leon_a_darkangel]

THE EXAM: HOUSE OF HORRORS (Y1 > Y2)



Each student ready to move from the first year to the second would find a nice, neatly printed letter taped to their door inviting them to participate in a "Non-Mandatory-But-Highly-Recommended-Anyway Test" (or NMBHRAT for short). A location was provided at the bottom of the note (a section of the grounds, just near the forest), and beneath that the words "Come at anytime."

Upon arrival, you would first notice that a peculiar house has been erected. It's not large enough to overshadow any of the dorms by any means; in fact, it seems rather tiny and shabby in comparison, with the door half stripped of its paint, the windows cracked and smeared with dust, and everything looks as though the merest touch will make it collapse.

At first you wonder if you're in the right place at all, but then you notice a little box sitting just outside of the house. Closer examination would reveal a note, written in a loopy handwriting perhaps familiar to some:

Welcome welcome to the House
Please be quiet as a mouse
The House will tell if you are good
The House will tell if you are bad

Think you're up to face the thing?
If you pass it, all will sing
Do your best, oh fair student
I hope your deaths you do circumvent

THE EXAM

THE HOUSE OF HORRORS

The smell is what gets your attention first; like smoke and old wood, it wafts across the air towards you, enticing you onward, pulling you forward, and you reach the little shabby house and the door half hanging off its hinges, practically begging you to come inside.

A sign posted outside reads "Welcome to the House."

At first, you're mildly concerned but upon knocking stepping inside, you realize that the house in question appears deserted.

Well, that's just creepy. But trying to go backwards only results in failure - the door has locked behind you. You're trapped inside, and now you must figure out how to get through the house in order to continue on your quest.


--------------------------------------------


TO GET THROUGH THE HOUSE:

There are THREE MAJOR ROOMS to the House of Horrors. In order to successfully pass through the House and receive your exam credit, you must navigate through all three rooms until you reach the exit, located after the very last room:

• Cutthroat Kitchen
  
  To get through the Cutthroat Kitchen, you need 10 steps. Roll 1d4 and add up the amount of steps you take (i.e. you roll a 3, that's 3 steps forward). You must get at least 10 steps. If you go over ten, that's fine, as long as it's at least 10.
  
  Each number of steps rolled has it's own consequence:
  1 - You open a door in the kitchen looking for the exit and promptly find yourself dunked by a bucket of icy water. Who left that there?
  2 - You trip and fall into a vat of what looks like melted chocolate.
  3 - You step in a pile of what looks like sticky glue on the floor and therefore get it stuck on the bottom of your foot/shoe for the rest of your trek through the House.
  4 - For some reason, there is an entire bin of tiny bones that you somehow manage to knock over, which, of course, makes a terribly loud sound.
  
  
  
• Lurking Library
  
  In order to get through the Library, you'll have to find the right combination of books in order to find the combination. Roll 3d6, and follow the guidelines below:
  
  - 1,1 OR 2,2 as two of the numbers - Looks like you've found some sort of...oops better put that back quickly before a certain cranky Librarian sees you looking at por - (try again)
  - 3,3 OR 4,4 OR 5,5 OR 6,6 as two of the numbers - You pull out a book, and then another, and to your relief you see that the door beyond swings open for you to slip through! (success)
  - 1,2,3 (doesn't have to be in order) - Somehow you get entangled in what looks like a long rope made of paper and spend several moments trying to break your way free, when you notice that in the process you've actually fallen out the door into the next room. How convenient! (success)
  - 6,6,6 Is that a giant spi - quick run for it - (start back in the first room)
  - 1,1,1 You try climbing a bookshelf, rather than pull books trying to find the secret switch, and wind up tumbling over the side rather ungracefully. But hey, look, the...nope, just a shadow (try again)
  
  
  
• Bloodcurdling Bedroom
  
  The Bloodcurdling Bedroom requires only one thing - picking the lock successfully to get through the door on the other side. Roll 1d100. You must get above a 65 to have successfully picked the lock. If you roll below, then your attempts were unsuccessful and you have to keep on truckin'.

Upon their exit from the house, a certain mischievous Trick or Treater can be found lounging in a tree on the other side, looking as happy as a pig in mud. He smiles down at you, his grin terribly self-satisfied, and tosses you a rolled up piece of parchment. Opening it, you see a certificate of Exam Completion.

"Congratulations," he says brightly, and flashes you a wink. "You're now a Knob."  

[leon_a_darkangel]

That morning when Kamakura had woken up, the nekomata had felt like in some way, that today would be different. Stretching, he yawned as he slid out of bed, showered and dressed after brushing his teeth. He didn't have time to walk his mini's this morning, but left out treats and toys for them at least in compromise. He packed his bag and rushed out the door, only to discover he had an unexpected letter in a folder with his name written on it greeting him once he pulled his dorm door closed. Reaching for it, he ripped it off the door and carefully pealed the tape, nervously rustling with the folder to open it and discover what was inside.

It was hard to say if he was truly prepared or not, Kama had been given a warning about chocolate concerning the event, otherwise he didn't know what to expect. Was he truly ready to take the leap of faith and push himself towards his second year? With a bit of consideration, the nekomata's ears laid back as he looked over his NMBHRAT test.

The location that had been provided lead him to a section on the grounds near the forest. He'd come after classes, more towards the evening as he felt more awake and alert at that time anyway. At first he wasn't sure he'd gone the right way. As luck would have it, he found a small house with a little box sitting just outside with a note. Gingerly lifting it up, the demon's eyes traveled over the loopy handwriting as his scowl furrowed his eyebrows. Looking up when he'd finished reading the contents, the nekomata boil swallowed loudly.

While mildly disturbed he approached the house, and reluctantly have a knock upon the chamber doors. There was no answer, he stepped insider to glance around. "Hello?" He called, but after seeing nor hearing nothing unusual he went to leave..only to find the doors had closed on him in the brief time he'd stepped inside.

The tail fur on his calico colored tail stood up on end as he shivered. He hissed as his amber-golden eyes darted around the room to try and see if there was someone behind the sudden loud bang of the door closing. Well he wouldn't be going that way anytime soon it seemed. Kama had no other choice but to move further into the house.

He found a door, and pulled it open, revealing a kitchen of some sort. Before he could really take in his surroundings, he tripped into what appeared to be a thing of chocolate. He got some one his arm and hands as he made a face wiping it off some as he tried to get his baring.

Steps taken through Hell's Kitchen: 2/10  

[leon_a_darkangel]

Kamakura didn't call out again, instead he tried to move further into the room, however just like before he instead crashed into a container of chocolate. While it was nearly Hallow's Eve it didn't jacking mean everyone had to leave big pans of chocolate out! He growled in frustration as he sighed.

He'd just have to keep an eye out for his surroundings. His heart beat was racing, even as he cleaned off his messy hand by licking his fingers clean instead of washing it off like he'd done the first time.

Still he was fairly annoyed as he kept moving along, hoping to be out of this and onto the next area. If the notes warning meant anything, he'd have to keep his wits about him at all times. This House of Horrors was beginning to get on his nerves and he still had a ways to go.

Steps taken through Hell's Kitchen: 4/10  

[leon_a_darkangel]

After dealing with chocolate Hell, he wandered away from that mess only to crash into an entire bin full of tiny bones of all things. He barreled right into the box as he was still absent minded and wondering about the nature of this exam..only to nearly shoot out of his skin in freight when the loud clattering of bones and rubble began tumbling down.

Hissing he whirled around looking for the source of the disturbance and looked down to see the mess he'd made. Quietly he righted the box after sweeping the bones back into the box and looking rather sheepish.

He was making a jacking fool of himself, and this wasn't helping any. However he was near the door exit, and began to move towards it.

Steps taken through Hell's Kitchen: 8/10  

[leon_a_darkangel]

Just as he was nearing the Kitchen's exit, he found himself sliding as his shoes still had chocolate on the heels. He hissed in frustration as he wobbled and flailed, landing one last time in a vat of chocolate. Kama hadn't known what Camilla meant about chocolate, but this was so far from ridiculous he sure as hell did now understand.

Growling he lit his hand on fire with his pyromantic flames. Narrowing his eyes on it he nearly lobbed it at the dark liquid but decided not to ruin the sugary confection. Sighing he shook his hand out, and like that the fires vanished.

The smell of melted gooey candy was almost sickeningly sweet.

Kamakura got up and slinked out of the kitchen once he'd cleaned himself for the third time, It was all to much in such a short span of time. It went without saying the cat boil was less than thrilled about being sticky and smelling of sweet chocolate. It was bad enough he already smelled of sinnamon ever since that baking class he'd participated in with Indu the other day. This merely added insult to injury.

Steps taken through Hell's Kitchen: 10/10  

[leon_a_darkangel]

Now the Nekomata was upon a library. Creeping along silently, he looked around the place trying to figure out how to get out of here. He was afraid to make to much noise, and attract the attention of the possible librarian around here. His eyes scanned the different books after he found no doors nor exits. Swallowing nervously he approached a few of the books..and after a bit of consideration and running his fingers along the spine of three particular books he began pulling at them.

Much to his surprise, when he did this he was rewarded with the library door opening for him. Without wasting any time he quickly rushed out to move along.  

[leon_a_darkangel]

With him being out of the library, he made his way into the next section of the house. He found himself in some kind of bedroom it would seem. He wanted out of this place, it was nerving at best but he had to deal with what was in front of him in the mean time before he could get his hopes up. Escaping would come he figured if he kept tackling the tasks at hand...hopefully.

Kamakura sure as Jack hoped so.

Seeing a bunch of lock picks near the door, he decided there was little point in trying to smash the door down. He was sure it was magically sealed, and could withstand a student double his size and strength bashing away at it.

He grabbed for one of the many lock picks near the door, and began to get to work. However he snapped the first one, and muttered a swear under his breath. Nope, he'd have to keep trying.

Lock Pick Attempt: Failed  

[leon_a_darkangel]

This time he'd just go a little slower and not try and rush his way through it. Kamakura took a deep breath as he inhaled, and quickly exhaled as he reached for another pin. He was eager to leave, his ears laid back and tail twitched in aggitation. For a moment he thought it was meant to be another useless attempt, but as he squinted at the lock and kept fussing with it, he heard a loud clear click sound.

His ears perked up as he looked surprised wondering if he'd perhaps managed to successfully pick the lock this time. He gave a shout of excitement as he got up and scrambled outside brushing himself off, and cringing when he noticed more chocolate stains on his white shirt collar and fringes. He was preoccupied with the mess on him, almost enough he startled when a grinning weirdo all but literally threw paper at him.

Blinking in surprise, the nekomata looked down at what he'd been given. The mischivious looking fellow grinned at him positively wickedly. Kamakura reluctatly opened the paper and felt his maw gape open. A certification of Exam Competion proof was now in his possesion. Looking up he matched that smirking face with a flat stare of his own.

"Congratulations," He says brightly with that wink of his. "You're now a Knob."

Relief washed over Kamakura as he learned he'd passed his exam. His shoulders slumped forward some as he laughed, running a hand through his hair. He needed a bath, and to find a good place to hang his certificate. He couldn't wait to pass home word to his family, he was fairly certain at least his mother and one of his sisters would be excited for him.

For a brief moment Kamakura grinned at the stranger before rolling the parchment back up. "Oh..! Hey uh thanks." He nodded, before he moved to leave the building behind, and head back towards the dorm. He'd actually done it, he was estatic, he could feel a sense of pride spreading through his entire being as he held his chin up high as he walked back across campus.

[ Exam Complete! ]