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 Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 5:52 am
Day 1: ALL THAT GLITTERS HAS A PURPOSE: 2 pts
Day 2: ALL THAT GLITTERS HAS A PURPOSE: 2 pts
Day 3: ALL THAT GLITTERS HAS A PURPOSE: 3 pts
Day 4: ALL THAT GLITTERS HAS A PURPOSE: 2 pts
Day 5: ALL THAT GLITTERS HAS A PURPOSE: 2 pts
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Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 5:53 am
DAY ONE All That Glitters Has a PurposeYou begin in the darkness of a large, cavernous room. The light, coming from a source that is impossible to place, is extremely dim, the only scent in the air that of chilled, ancient rock. The room itself seems almost designed to mute your senses, to draw you back towards a moment of thoughtful consideration. If you allow yourself to reach this point of inner clarity, you will find yourself pulled towards one of several little niches, each of which are similar in size and shape, each largely unremarkable...aside from the knowledge that one of them feels like it was meant for you.
When you entertain this inspired idea (and if would be wise of you to do so), you will slip through the slim rock passage to enter a new room, each tailored to provide its own challenge. The rooms all share one thing: a cushioned pedestal, on which rests an ornate, reverently polished piece of jewelry, a perfectly cut gem set directly in its center. A light hum and the most subtle of rumblings begins from somewhere in the room that you face, a hint of something to come, and your best option appears to be to put the jewelry on.
The item only stays with you long enough to offer insight on what it can provide. As soon as your task is complete, it returns to the cushioned pedestal, and your only exit guides you back to the cavernous room from your initial approach.  OOC Information: At the very beginning of this course (when your character is in the cavernous room) roll a 1d6 to determine which gem setting you receive, and match with the corresponding section. If you roll a 6, you can select any of the options. Some of the mechanics differ, so be sure to pay close attention to the mechanics for the option that you rolled. To complete the task, you will need to follow the prompt within the correct section. Don't worry about standard HP values, FEAR attacks, or natural abilities - if your student properly appreciates and understands the strength and application of their gem/the jewelry, then they should have no need for any of that. 1 - The Diamond-Set Circlet You are not given much time to play around with the intuitive mechanic bestowed upon you by the diamond, the gem of protection. The whistle of projectiles hurling in your direction fills the air, and you might find yourself reflexively throwing your arm up to block some of the incoming attack...only to find that some sort of invisible shield is called forth by this motion. Using this motion to save yourself from injury, you must make your way to the exit on the other side of the room. Roll 1d20. If your roll is anything other than 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, you successfully complete the course. If your roll falls on one of these numbers, you fail to shield yourself from one of more of the projectiles. The whistling sound immediately stops, allowing you to freely walk towards the exit with the burden of your failure. 2 - The Ruby-Set Bangle Only moments after you put the bracelet on, the floor drops out beneath you! Luckily, it was only an illusion. You stand several feet above the level that the ground now sits on some invisible layer that you can't see, but can certainly feel. Closer inspection of the new 'floor' seems to show that it now houses a sort of labirynth/obstacle course. Even if it were not impossible to reach, it's much too small for you to pass through. With the help of the ruby, however, a small, flickering shade of vaguely humanoid proportions pops into existence at the beginning of the course. As ruby if the gem of devotion, you now have the unique opportunity of holding the control over a thing that is entirely devoted towards fulfilling your desires. Your task is to not squander this devotion, instead guiding your follower on a safe passage. This can be done with any sort of indication of direction: head nodding, pointing, hand motions, etc. Roll 4d4 and match each number with the corresponding result.1: Your shade continues through the course without difficulty, occasionally 'looking' back to you for direction. 2: Your shade gets caught in a trap, but manages to free itself and continue along. 3: Your shade gets caught in a trap and can't continue. 4: Your shade has some trouble passing through the course, but ultimately seems to be doing fine. (You successfully lead your shade minion through the course as long as you avoid rolling a 3.) 3 - The Emerald-Set Necklace You look down towards your chest as you put the necklace on, intrigued by the shine of the gem. When you glance back up, you see five smiling scarelings staring happily up at you, each offering a little wave as they run off to play in the center of the room. You find yourself unable to move or speak, and can only watch on in horror as some sort of grotesque, shadowy creatures descend upon the group. Though you can't protect them, the emerald, as the gem of health, will allow you to mend their injuries. Roll 10d10. The first five dice correspond with each of the five scarelings, and indicate how much damage they take. The second set (dice 6-10) indicate how much you're able to heal them for via the properties of the necklace. They have to stay above 5hp each for you to succeed, causing the attacks to cease and the exit to display itself to you; if you fail, they all disappear with a longing wail, and you find yourself in an empty room with the same single exit. The scarelings start at 10 hp each! 4 - The Sapphire-Set Brooch The brooch clips easily to your clothing (or hair or wing or whatever else is clippable), tugging gently beneath the weight of the gem. It's heavier than it looks, you realize...just in time for the rumbling to grow louder, sending a cascade of stones from the ceiling, blocking your only exit from the room. As you approach them, you realize that they are all settled very solidly among one another. It's going to be difficult to dislodge them and advance through the exit. When you reach to press against one, you find that it is a little easier than you anticipated. You owe this to the sapphire, the gem of strength. Removing the stones is not an effortless procedure, but you do find both an inner encouragement and a slight physical boost to nudge you towards victory. Roll 3d100 and add up the total, then match it with its corresponding result. 0-100: You find that moving the stones is still so hard, and give in to your physical exhaustion. The instant you admit defeat, the stones disappear and the brooch returns to its padded pedestal. You exit with few injuries and the weight of your failure. 101-200: You only make it through about half of the stones before you succumb to exhaustion. You are able to slip through a small opening to exit, but not without a hefty assortment of scrapes and scratches. 201-300: You easily slip into a rhythm of rock-moving motion, and have the exit cleared in just a few short moments. You exit without incident. 5 - The Amethyst-Set Ring The ring slips onto your finger, adjusting easily to fit the necessary size requirements. As it settles against your form, the hum grows louder, approaching an almost unbearable level. And that's when you notice that it's the heavy stampede of an oncoming cluster of faceless attackers. Thanks to the gem of temperance, you're able to flip the effect onto the oncoming attackers instead of applying restraint to yourself. The ground itself warps into rocky strips, clasping around their feet and shackling them in place. Though they reach forward and struggle, the shackled attackers aren't able to reach you. Roll 2d12 and add up the total result. The resulting number is the amount of attackers that you restrain. If you're able to prevent the majority of the attackers (a dice roll total of 13 or higher) from reaching your location, you are able to push past them and reach the exit. If you fail, you are overcome by the attackers, and slip through some sort of trap door...finding yourself in the initial cavernous room once more. POINTS DISTRIBUTION [ Horsemen Points Distribution: ] +1 point if you succeed +1 point if you roll a "perfect score" (no failure rolls; cannot go over 3 points/day with the inclusion of this bonus) +1 point for the following (cannot go over 3 points/day with the inclusion of this bonus): -Roll a perfect 20 for Diamond. -Two or more rolls of '1' and no 'failure' rolls for Ruby. - Leave all five scarelings with 9 or more HP for Emerald. -Roll 250 or higher for Sapphire. -Restrain at least 21 attackers for Amethyst.
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santime rolled 1 6-sided dice:
4
Total: 4 (1-6)
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Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 5:54 am
Death was all based on caverns. After a short walk through the city Shenny realized that the crater city was lying in is the only possible place to live: due to the small lava rivers and magma isles the temperature inside was warm enough to sustain life. Looks like, the rest of the island is just too cold for a normal life... The city was absolutely hidden, there were literally no way to get out of it unless using an underground tunnel, perhaps Death horsemen somehow manage to travel by surface, but one would most likely need a special purpose for it, and of course, a special equipment. That was the ghoul's guess.
Meanwhile, the underground system appeared to be enormously large and difficult; it appeared that some tunnels might be long enough to be connected with other isles. Shenny had no intention to take a long underground trip, but exploring a bit won't hurt, would it?
The ghoul picked a cosy looking entrance, one of the many down the city.
It was a huge cavern lighted by something incomprehensible: Shenny couldn't figure out where the light comes from, but it was there, though extremely dim. The smell was that of an ancient rock, gravely cold one. The whole atmosphere looked as it was purposefully dedicated to mute visitor's senses. In fact, it pretty much resembled the hidden room with a Clans' Symbol she stumbled across in Famine, though there wasn't any sign of unfamiliar and aggressive Fear. It was vice versa: everything here looked too familiar, and that was almost scary.
As the sorceress was moving further, she reached the small alcove surrounded by a couple of little niches that looked pretty much similar... but that was the point when she felt something strange. It was the same type of feeling she experienced right after the arrival: something a little bit painful, yet pleasant coming from the depth of her heart.. something familiar. She felt like she was meant to come to this place, and her very body was attracted to one of the niches, just one of them.
Shenny slipped into, and very soon found a small room with a cushioned pedestal. There was an elegant brooch with a Sapphire placed carefully in the middle of the pedestal. It was simple, yet beautiful, Shenny couldn't help noticing it looks quite similar to the jewellery she has seen in the Guidance Temple. The gem was a bit glowing (or was that just a trick of light?) emanating the mysterious aura of power and magic. The ghoul felt a little pulsation of Fear inside it. Shenny felt like she had to put it on, it was so correct she wasn't questioning herself.
The brooch clipped easily to her choker. For a moment nothing happened, but suddenly the rumbling she's been hearing for a while now grew louder. A couple of stones dropped from the ceiling. And then, before the ghoul had a chance to understand what's going on a good cascade of rocks dropped down blocking the passage she used to enter.
Shenny looked around, but the room was small, and there was no sign of any other exit. She reached the rocks, and leaned towards one of them only to find it's pretty movable. What's that?.. The rocks looked very real, and indeed they were heavy, but somehow she felt enough strength to move them. Perhaps she can even move all of them and free the passage?.. That was encouraging!
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santime rolled 3 100-sided dice:
28, 29, 98
Total: 155 (3-300)
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Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 5:56 am
However, it wasn't as effortless as it seemed. First couple of rocks were pretty easy to move, but the more Shenny bit into, the more tired she felt. Was her sudden strength boost a Sapphire magic?.. And if so, why wasn't it enough to get her out of here?.. Was it something like a quest, or a trial, or a simple training ground, or forbidden area, or?.. She has to ask someone later.
Anyway, somehow the ghoul managed to make it through half of the rocks, but now she felt so tired, as like her fear was sucked out of her. For a moment she hesitated, whether it would be better to take off the brooch: what if the gem was sort of stealing her fear energy from her?.. One more rock, and Shenny noticed felt a fresh air, and noticed a small between the stones. Cursing and swearing, she slipped though earning a couple of bruises and scrapes, and the very moment she left the room the brooch unclipped itself and literally floated back to the pedestal.
Aha! So it seems to be sort of training, after all. Yeah, that was very different from Famine.. perhaps, she should come back here again and explore it further... but only after having a proper rest.
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santime rolled 1 6-sided dice:
4
Total: 4 (1-6)
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Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 5:18 am
Today Shenny decided to some speleology again. She thought the whole situation over and over again all the evening, and from her analysis she was absolutely positive the cavern was sort of a training field. Perhaps, all the niches hide different gemstones that possess some special power, and the whole training is to test how well can you use it. Or may be, how well can you connect it with your own Fear?.. Or may be, the gems are fear stealing after all, and the whole point is to test how long would you last?... Questions, questions. But to tell the truth, it didn't concern the ghoul much: if it is a training, it doesn't really matter how it works, as long as it's supposed to make her better / stronger / whatever.
This time was pretty much like the last time: empty cavern, alcove, niches. Shenny was curious why doesn't she see any other students or horsemen here. Once again, she was drawn to the niche with the sapphire brooch; Shenny wondered for a moment, if other niches had different gems, and if it's "one gem per person", or just a coincidence?
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santime rolled 3 100-sided dice:
37, 71, 3
Total: 111 (3-300)
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Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 5:19 am
Strangely enough, there we absolutely no rock blocking the passage, though Shenny was absolutely positive she leaved half of them there. What could that mean?.. Logically, though the sorceress, there could be only two answers: either the whole trial was an illusion, caused by the gem magic, or the place itself, - or somebody was here after me, and cleaned the mess. Whatever it is, it only proves my theory: it's clearly a special training field. Who knows, may be it's closed for students?.. .Shenny decided she better not talk about it.
Just to make a bit of difference between the days, Shenny clipped the brooch on her coat instead of choker. When the first stone fell from the ceiling, the ghoul carefully examined its trajectory, and its location. That's it! It was same as yesterday, 100% same. Looks like she was right, and that's sort of illusion...
Despite being an illusion (in case she was correct)), rocks still were pretty difficult to move. Now Shenny had a bit of experience, she even tried estimate the ideal track knowing approximately when she's going to get tired, but it didn't really help. Once again, she found herself sitting on the ground leaning towards the big rock right after moving away about the half of the rocks.
Bloody Mary!
Unfortunately, Shenny had no other choice than to slip into the tiny opening between the rocks, adding a couple of new scratches to her hands and shoulders.
The ghoul decided she definitely has to come here again. And again. And again, until she manages to do it perfectly.
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santime rolled 1 6-sided dice:
1
Total: 1 (1-6)
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Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:04 am
This time something strange took place: Shenny felt absolutely no impulse from the niche containing the Sapphire. Instead, she was drawn into another niche, right next to the previous one. Is she done with the brooch? Is it something like levelling up and opening new gems?...
The small room was pretty much similar the one she saw before: nothing, but a pedestal in the centre. There was a single gem lying there, not a jewellery of any sort. It was clean and clear, pure like a water, and had absolutely no colour, but somehow was glowing in the dark. Shenny realized it is a diamond, and that was actually the first time she saw one.
Right after he picked it up, the ghoul heard a whistling sound. Woah! Something like a projectile, or a very fast and angry bird was flying in her direction. Shenny reflectively raised her hand to block, before even thinking if it is a good idea, only to find something like an invisible shield was covering her hand; it blocked the projectile effectively.
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santime rolled 1 20-sided dice:
20
Total: 20 (1-20)
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Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:05 am
That was fun! The projectiles kept flying at her; to tell the truth, they were quite fast, but she always had enough time to block them right away gripping a diamond on her hand. One, two, three.. very soon Shenny lost the count. She was whirling in the centre of the room, it probably looked like an odd dance, if somebody would be looking at her. After all, it was a nice training in speed and agility.
Finally, the shooting ended, and her diamond floated back to the pedestal. That was a tense moment, thought Shenny, as she walked out of the room proudly.
((Perfect 20: 3 pts!))
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santime rolled 1 6-sided dice:
3
Total: 3 (1-6)
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Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:14 am
Looks like Shenny was indeed correct: the whole spelunking training field worked with leveling up. She has really been waiting to try Diamond again, but today she was drawn to completely different niche, the one at the very edge of the cavern.
Everything was the same: same small room, same pedestal in the centre. There was a necklace, stunningly necklace lying there with a huge gem glowing of an ungoodly green. It was shining as bright as the little stat, and Shenny couldn't help putting it on. It suited her perfectly; was it a trick of light, or the gem immediate turned to the colour of her eyes?#
Suddenly the ghoul heard a soft laughter. She immediately turned around preparing to defend only to find five smiling scarelings staring happily at her. Shenny was confused. What was that?... Should she play with children this time?... It didn't look serious at all!
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santime rolled 10 10-sided dice:
8, 7, 4, 2, 6, 3, 4, 6, 5, 1
Total: 46 (10-100)
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Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:19 am
Suddenly something happened. Some vile shadows formed on the walls and moved towards the centre of the room, where scarelings were playing. Shenny realized she should defend them, but she couldn't move a single muscle. Horrified, the sorceress was watching some foggy shadowy creatures attacking the scarelings, but quickly disappearing soon after. As the creatures were gone, Shenny felt she could finally move; the emerald was shining like it was ready to explode.
When the ghoul reached the scarelings, the gem emanated beams of light, Shenny noticed that when this light touched the scarelings their injuries were healed. She tried to do this with each of them, and very soon enough they were ok, more or less: they weren't as happy and healthy as they were, but at least, all the injuries were healed. The scarelings looked at her happily again before disappearing.
So, thought Shenny, emerald is for healing... or may be protecting. Good to know.
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santime rolled 1 6-sided dice:
4
Total: 4 (1-6)
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Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 9:49 am
Shenny realized her assumption was incorrect: today she was drawn to the very familiar niche containing the sapphire. Why is it so? Is there any logic behind the choice of gemstones?.. Why didn't she tried some of the niches?.. Shenny was curious about the gems she hadn't seen yet, but all her attempts to enter other niches failed: she simply hit the invisible barrier and couldn't enter the passages. All right, thought the ghoul, let's jacking do the Sapphire again.
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santime rolled 3 100-sided dice:
66, 5, 89
Total: 160 (3-300)
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Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 9:50 am
And there were rocks again! Shenny felt tired before even starting to clear them out. She set on the floor and gazed at the Sapphire for a bit, trying to suck enough strength this time. Did it work?... The sorceress wasn't sure, but she felt a bit more powerful than the previous times, but it could be just a trick of her imagination.
And, Bloody Mary, it turned that way. Again, she was sooo tired after moving half of the rocks, she simply couldn't make one more move. All her body desired to lay down on the rocky floor, curl and have some rest. She had no other choice than to slip between rocks again; scratches didn't bother her anymore, she got used to them.
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