Azrael was back for more and he was ready. If he was honest with himself this was probably the most fun he was having. It was nice to stretch his legs and test his limits. This night was a lot more strenuous than the night before.
He stepped over the dominos with ease, it was cake compared to some of the rock climbs he'd done on busthind. The spinning log was slightly harder and a couple times Azrael almost beefed it. The most difficulty Azrael had was with the curtains. He came so close to falling in the pit that even he was surprised that he made it across! He had to take a moment to celebrate his success before moving on.
The other events were no piece of cake either and he finally lost it to the salmon ladder. As he was heading up the bar didn't catch and Azrael was left at an angle that made it impossible to continue. His strength failed him and down he fell into the pit of acorns. Marvelous.
After having a moment at the beginning where she had to push herself to the breaking point to pass, Zeylla seemed to be flying through the course. The majority of it was no problem, and yet while her confidence soared, her stamina plummeted. In what felt like seconds(and yet took quiet a bit longer) Zeylla found herself before the salmon climb. She dusted her hands and cracked her knuckles, and started her climb.
Sadly, she didn't get very far, and was dangling at the second rung, her arms screaming out for her to stop as she tried to move just one more. Just one more and she'd give up. But as she tried to shift her bar from rung to rung, her arms gave up and she came toppling back down onto the mat with a groan.
She tried to brush it off, but felt embarrassment blushing her cheeks, and scurried off before anyone noticed her. She would be back tomorrow though, to try again!
Green Minuet
im not sure if we count the points where we used a feat? if we don't, her score for the day is 40 not 44! c:
Keionx did her stretches, feeling very done with being broody for the next few sweeps at least. Really... she'd had enough brooding and wandering and soul searching. She needed to be done with that and settled with who she is. She needed to act, not think - to do, not dwell.
So what better way of doing than to run the squirrelly ninja troll's obstacle course? After her stretches, she got off to a racing start with the first hurdle, running across, her feet hitting each 'domino' just perfectly enough to keep her on top and keep her - more importantly - looking pretty damn graceful as she leapt over to the other side.
Spinning Log (9+4=13 PASS)
The spinning log exercise was one she had respect for. Beastdad had once, long ago, tried to train her on logs rolling in one of Busthind's icy cold streams. She remembered, vividly, being cold and miserable and wet and bruised, crying as she fell in again and again.
She was born for solid ground, not something that endlessly shifted beneath her feet. However, she was not the same troll as before. She had improved - she had adapted. She could do this now.
She ran forward, moving quickly even as she compensated for the movement of the log beneath her. It was a matter of intense focus and careful movement. She was getting better at this - she was getting better in general.
As she crossed over the last stretch of log to the other side, she wished that Beastdad was there to see her now and be proud.
Curtain Slider (1+1=2 USED FEAT TO PASS!!!)
Or perhaps not, she thought as she dangled percariously from a curtain in the middle of the shaft, she wouldn't have wanted him to see... this. It was humongously humiliating to hang there, dangling motionlessly, but she absolutely refused to let herself fall. She refused to lose. She refused.
She was afraid the curtain would tear as she climbed up it with her sheer strength and will alone, and it did, but once she got to the top, she began to get it moving again. Slowly - too slowly - it slid to the end. She dismounted, upset and ashamed. More practice. That was what she needed.
But at least she hadn't fallen.
Cargo Climb (6+6=12 PASS)
Fortunately, the next challenge wasn't so hard. It played to all of her strengths. Though her hands were starting to hurt from the friction, she still made it out onto the top, sweating up a storm as she did so. Gog, it was hot.
Cycle Road (10+1= 11 PASS)
Keionx rubbed her hands together before attempting the swinging ride, easing some of the soreness that was building in them. "All right." she said, gritting her teeth before leaping out and onto the wheels. Once she was on, however, her worries evaporated for the moment, replaced by the feeling of simply moving. Everything worked in harmony. All cares drifted away.
All too soon, though, it was over and she was on the other side.
Salmon Ladder (3+6=9 PASS)
The last obstacle was a thing of beauty. If Keionx delayed, it was mainly in admiration for it's structure, it's purpose. If only she'd known that such a device existed sooner - she'd have immediately added it to her training regimen. The bar, the hanging, all the upper arm strength she could train with it... What a great thing.
Oh, thats right, she was being timed.
Sheepishly, she began to climb it, struggling slightly with the unfamiliarity of it. Still, she managed to do it. Once completed, she had to find out what it was. A Salmon Ladder? Strange name for something, but that didn't matter - she was getting one. Or making one. Either way...
She'd thought Ma'am had forgotten about the goobeast whatever-it-was, but Psykgi had been so wrong. Just because she had forgotten the day before didn't mean that Ma'am wasn't going to remember with a vengeance, which - to Psykgi's great dismay - she did.
"Fine, FINE, I'll feed it!" Psykgi said. Ma'am scolded her immediately in many voices, and Psykgi relented. She didn't usually sass her lusus like this, but the strange little thing just... rubbed her the wrong way.
Either way, Ma'am was having none of her excuses. She would give the little creature material to assimilate.
"Fine..." she said, dropping in some random sample, "There. Can we go now?"
Excellent balance was a must for any great thief, as far as Etsali was concerned, and she was pretty sure hers was top-notch after so many sweeps of rooftop adventures throughout the cities. So when she hopped over the Domino Hill obstacle, one easy step to the next, it felt only natural. The way she stumbled on the Spinning Log, though, was anything but. The moment her foot touched she knew she'd taken the wrong approach somehow, but there was no taking that first step back.
Eyes narrowing, she threw her all into using her past experience to recover. If she could get her other foot out, distribute her weight just so...Keep moving! A leap to the next platform saved her from a wipe out into acorns. After that, the Curtain Slider was nothing. The Cargo Climb was rough, but she determinedly kept climbing her way up until she was through even it. A quick zoom through the Cycle Road and here she was.
Panting, she stared up at the Salmon Ladder, well aware that time was ticking away but more preoccupied with the way her arms were already aching. Balance was one thing, speed was one thing, but an obstacle like this was another test of strength that she wasn't sure she had right now. She wouldn't know until she tried though, so she drew in a deep breath, held it a moment, and then went for it.
Now that she was done ninja-ing, it was time to feed the goobeast. She wasn't really sure what to do with the little guy so far honestly, and had just been winging it the last couple of times. So...Might as well keep that up? She grabbed a genetic sample at random and dumped it onto the little creature, leaning over to watch it absorb.
Amo was so afraid of Nucleo's frustration over the incompetence of his wait staff that he ran away from the barista, taking a route through the Alternia Ninja Squirrel obstacle course. Adrenaline fueled his need to survive and for once in his athletically challenged life, he was a champion.
"Oh Gog!" He panted from atop the salmon ladder. It had taken every last bit of energy in his body to get all the way up to the tower at the end of today's course but he was sure Nucleo wouldn't be able to catch up with him here and "talk" to him about the bad reviews the Nightly Blend was getting nor the whole issue of squirrel tracks found in the fridge.
"Get back here!" Nucleo called after his jadeblooded friend. As the painter zipped through the courses, the greenblood followed him. He had a lot to say to Amonee and even more to ask. Growling in frustration as the boy fled, Nucleo tunneled in on that disappearing form and sped through the obstacles without even registering them. Sure he struggled with a few but he plowed right on through, intent to get to the bottom of things! He'd put his business on the line to promote their little explorer's club and Amonee and Xavier kept making the same mistakes over and over! Was this some kind of joke?! This was his reputation on the line!
"Amoneeee!" Nucleo's grip slipped on the bar for the last challenge and into the acorns below he went! Disappearing into the sea of nuts, Nucleo's angry face was swallowed up with his outstretched hand sinking slowly until he was out of sight.
Quote:
Score: (day one 29) (day two 52) (day three 51) = (total 132) Failed: None! Feats Used: 1 Feats Remaining: 4 Ninja Nuts: 16
"Oh wow, I've never actually seen an eel in person." Amonee looked over the sample options again. Well since he didn't have much time to visit the ocean, he'd just bring the ocean to him through this sample! Adding it to his little goo friend, he slipped a few blueberries in there as well in case the guy was hungry.
Yamashii
Offline
Green Minuet generated a random number between
1 and 6 ...
1!
Congratulations to today's winners! You are well on your way to becoming Ninja Squirrels!
Yamashii
[ For reaching a score of 67! ]
Lutrin applauds as Amonee drops down from the salmon ladder. “That was amazing!!” she exclaims. “The best you've ever done, I bet!” She quirks an eyebrow and then glances over at Nucleo. A sly grin spreads across her features. “I guess you just needed the right motivation. I could look into recruiting the Happy Badger Family for you. They'd be more then happy to help, ehehehe...”
Kimbley Kitty
[ For reaching a score of 62! ]
Lutrin rushes over to Froggy Friend with an armful of nuts. As she hands them over she stares at the greenblood in awe. After a moment, she reaches out to touch him. “Are... Are you real?” she asks.
saihen
[ And you won our raffle! ]
Lutrin perches on the lip of the acorn pit, staring down at Azrael with an amused look on her face. She swings her legs idly. “Too bad. Better luck next time, buster!” She retrieves from her pocket a ticket which she dangles tantalisingly over blueblood. After a moment she drops it into the pit and then offers a hand to help him out. As soon as he reaches however, she pulls back and scrambles away. “HOO HOO HOO!! You'll never catch me!”
And next up, for some truly delightful posts!
Doutei
After sending Amonee on his way, Lutrin scuttles over to Nucleo. She looks this way and that then presses something warm and slightly gooey into his hand. “You'll get him next time!” she whispers, and then scampers away.
[ You have obtained 1 Yoghurt Bar! ]
DraconicFeline
As Keionx scales the top of the ladder Lutrin rises to her feet and lets out a thunderous roar of applause—quite a feat for a crowd of one. “You're like a natural hatched ninja!” she exclaims. When Keionx descends, Lutrin hurries over to clap the orangeblood on the back. “Enjoy this and rest up!”
[ You have obtained 1 Yoghurt Bar! ]
KitsuneAura
“Master!” Lutrin dashes over to Etsali as she emerges from the acorn pit. “Master, are you all right?” Her big eyes are filled with worry. After a moment, she slips a gooey lump into the orangeblood's palm. She winks. “It's my secret recipe!”
[ You have obtained 1 Nutter Bar! ]
Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2017 6:32 am
Note: Since I've had a couple people ask, you do include your score if you use a Feat of Determination. You determine your score just like you do any other obstacle: add your stat bonus to your roll.
Please remember to include the form below in your posts. It helps me tally up at the end of the day. Thanks!
[b]Score:[/b] Your total score from TODAY [b]Failed:[/b] The name of the obstacle you failed on (if none, put n/a) [b]Feats Used:[/b] Any Feats of Determination you used TODAY [b]Feats Remaining:[/b] TOTAL Feats of Determination remaining [b]Ninja Nuts:[/b] Your TOTAL here
Log Grip -1 Stamina A vertical log hanging from a downward sloped rail with two one foot drops over a pit of acorns. The objective is to hug the side of the log, riding it across the pit of acorns without falling in.
Add your strength to your score. A score of 7 or higher is required to pass this objective.
Spinning Log -1 Stamina An eight foot long pipe only six inches wide on a spinning axis over a pit of acorns. The objective to cross the pipe without falling off.
Add your balance to your score. A score of 7 or higher is required to pass this objective.
Jump Hang -2 Stamina A trampoline under a ten foot jump to a cargo net, again over a pit of acorns. The objective is to jump onto the cargo net and either climb over the top or bottom to reach the next platform.
Roll of 6 or higher: You land high on the net and are able to climb over the top and roll down to the other side.
Add your speed to your score. You automatically pass this obstacle.
Roll of 5 or lower: You land low on the net and have to climb underneath without touching the acorns.
Add your endurance to your score. A score of 7 or higher is required to pass this obstacle.
Salmon Ladder -2 Stamina A rack with five notches for rungs, and a bar at the bottom over a pit of acorns. The objective is to raise the bar from notch to notch, while dangling from it.
Add your strength to your score. A score of 9 or higher is required to pass this objective.
Spider Climb -2 Stamina Two vertical parallel walls, each twenty feet tall. The objective is to climb straight up, with one’s hands and feet on either wall.
Add your strength to your score. A score of 7 or higher is required to pass this objective.
Cargo Climb -2 Stamina A thirty foot vertical climb of cargo net. The objective is to climb straight up.
Add your endurance OR your strength to your score. A score of 7 or higher is required to pass this objective.
Devil Steps -3 Stamina A set of ascending and descending stairs arranged like a pyramid. The objective is to climb underneath them using only the upper body.
Add your endurance into your score. A score of 9 or higher is required to pass this objective.
"No worries, Apprentice!" Oh, wait. Was that against disguise? Too late to worry about that after this many nights, she guessed. Shrugging the thought and the aches of her fall aside, she grinned at Lutrin. "I'll get it the next time it shows its face!" She returned the wink as she accepted the bar from the younger troll, and that was that.
A whole night later, she was blessing that secret recipe of Lutrin's, because she felt like she could take on anything after munching on it and downing an energy drink. Even the Salmon Ladder was nothing!
Inventory: Veggie Bar, Used: Yoghurt Bar, Energy Drink, Nutter Bar
Log Grip (1+8=9 PASS)
Keionx drank one of her smoothies and ate a few protein bars to fill her stomach before attempting the course. It was light, energizing fare, though she stretched to give herself time to digest.
"Thank you for the yoghurt bar yesterday." she said to the proprietor as she warmed up, "Twas delicious." No comment about being a natural-hatched ninja. Frankly, Kei didn't really know what that was. But if it was someone who was agile and adept... Keionx had to agree. However, just because one was natural hatched didn't mean that practice and training wasn't involved.
Looking over the course for the night, she saw her favorite appliance there again. She grinned, though it (not noticably, due to her veil) faltered as she saw a certain thief going over the course. Admirably. Both firey competition and respect flared up within her as she, determined to beat Etsali's score, approached the first hurdle.
On her slow start, however, that fire died down to something less reckless - she wasn't doing it to compete, not with Etsali or even that blueblood. She was doing this for herself. If she beat their scores, great. If not, she was going to be very buff by the end of bloodfest. Either way, she won... though she would not fail. She refused to fail.
She clung to the log as it traversed it's way to the other end, feeling the difference in her warmed up muscles already. If only, she thought, there was a massage booth...
Spinning Log (4+4=8 PASS)
Ah, there was that tricky log. A misstep at the beginning cost her the zone, but the struggle staying upright was fun enough for that not to matter to her. Instead, while focusing, she psyched herself up - turn mistakes into successes later, that was something she'd learned. Not from Beastdad, but from life. So, completing the jumps, she launched right into...
Jump Hang (10+3= 13 AUTOPASS)
The jump-hang. Her running leap, graceful as a gazelle and as powerful as a roarbeast, landed her high on the net. Very high. From there, she was able to climb right over with very little effort.
Salmon Ladder (4+8=12 PASS)
Ah yes, her favorite thing ever. After a few rolls of her shoulders, she grabbed the bar and began to force it into each slot. It was a full body workout - she felt full of life, so vital that it practically burst from her pores. So vital, even, that as she bucked her way to the top, she kicked out to the landing spot and let out a loud "HIYAAAAH!" of pure vitality. Perhaps not in keeping with the ninja theme, though...
Spider Climb (6+8=14 PASS)
This one again - the crevice climb. Keionx shimmied up, feeling fatigue begin to coil around her muscles. She took her time, and at the top of the walls, she drank an energy drink, stretching to keep everything in working order. Of course, in a battle, she wouldn't have time to do that, but on this course? She was taking that time.
Cargo Climb (8+8 = 16 PASS)
The net again. This wasn't going to be hard. Well attuned to the course now (and the feel of the ropes), Keionx climbed rapidly, keeping her eyes on the prize. She almost wished that there were some distractions - pelted acorns, for example, or dancing squirrels. Challenge, even annoying challenge, was a good thing. She made it to the top and realized, suddenly, that before her was the last obstacle. How time and distance flew when one was having fun!
Devil Steps (7+5=12) It was the last, but it also happened to be the trickiest one yet. It was less a test of strength than endurance, but fortunately Keionx was well versed in both. As she climbed, she was reminded that she needed to keep up her nightly running. It was difficult in the swamp, but it was still a good habit to keep... and it kept trainees on their toes, literally.
She'd have to do it more, find alternate routes, do some scouting, do some patrolling... She nodded mentally to herself as she worked her way through the course, swinging onto the second half of the pyramid. Something tugged in her body - oh dear, she'd almost pulled something.
She worked her way through the rest, worried about the potential pain that would come, but fortunately nothing did. Course completed, she did a few extra torso stretches - just in case - and stopped to drink her last smoothie, feeling dehydrated and pleasantly (mostly - the muscle in her side did hurt) exhausted.
"Where dost tho get thine ideas?" she asked Lutrin, "Is there a magazine for these courses and yon equipment?" if so, she'd be interested in getting it. She'd have to figure out how, but she knew smart people who could do that...
ZEYLLA CRYPSI Speed: 4 Strength: 6 Balance: 2 Endurance: 4 Stamina: 8 Score: 77 Failed: Spinning Log Feats Used: 1 Feats Remaining: 2 Ninja Nuts: I NEED TO FIGURE THIS OUT OTL
After nearly losing it on the spinning logs, Zeylla blazed through the course, especially the salmon climb that had ruined her on the last run through. She was determined to defeat all the courses offered at this booth, and with each day she felt her body growing more and more accustomed to the exertion. This would all help with her hiking and hunting, so she didn't even think to complain, even as she pushed her exhausted body through the last couple of challenges.
Sure, her lungs burned, and her legs tingled and her arms were jelly, but as Zeylla nearly toppled off the course, she couldn't help but feel satisfied and proud of herself.
