The Castle itself was filled with secrets; there were secrets so old, even Metallia must have forgotten them. The Labyrinth was no exception.
A staircase in the castle's foyer was innocent enough, once you got past just how deep into the ground they seemed to go. The staircase was winding, and the lower you descended, the colder it got. There was a distinct chill in the air at the bottom; if you followed it down it led you to a set of incredibly plain doors.
Doors that would open for no one unless it was Metallia's will.
Now, beyond the simple doors was a large, flat room illuminated with the same glowing purple crystals that seemed to populate the Rift. It was a strain on the eye, but not impossible to see.
It was clear that someone had spent a lot of time down here; not much of the labyrinth was visible due to the tall, metal plated walls that seemed to reach up forever. And yet, sick looking rocks and crystals jutted from the ceilings, twisting like roots from the castle above. The ceiling had an unhealthy glow, sometimes pulsing purple or green.
Metallia had never specified what they were looking for; she had only told them to follow a map she'd provided access to from their communicator crystals and to recover a small, locked box.
She had warned them—even with a map, and the location of some traps programmed in—it was dangerous. They should try to stick with the group and absolutely not stray. Agents who disobeyed would be reprimanded.
This wasn't entirely a team mission; Metallia had been specific. They were to ensure that the box was returned, but it was competitive. Only the first person their could retrieve it.
So the goal was simple: the agent with the best abilities would claim the prize for Metallia—but they were all still responsible for seeing the team through.
The maps indicated that the labyrinth's traps started off easy enough: the path would take them down two right turns would lead them to the first trap. Before them, a stretch of ground seemed missing; in its place, a pit full of sharp looking rocks that spiraled towards the ground.
You could teleport—but why waste energy when you don't know what else lies in store? Besides—it seems easy enough to jump.
Quote:
Roll a 10 sided dice to see how easily your character clears the jump! If you make a mistake, please don't delete the post! Any deleted posts will result in the player being disqualified from the game.
All characters who have been posted for growth of the next stage may receive the following boosts to their roll (this means, you do not have to have the art to receive the boost but you must have posted for growth and be able to link to the post to gain the boost!) :
Second Stage (Captain, Super, or Mauvian Human stage) get a +3 to each roll Third Stage: (General, Eternal, or Mauvian Senshi) get a +5 to each roll Fourth stage: (General Sovereign) get a +8 to each roll
Please include the boost in bolded red font at the bottom of each roll or it will not be tallied in! If you have posted for growth but do not have art yet, please just link to your post in the growth thread also! Remember to include your character's name at the top of each post!
If your character did not join this ORP at the end of the last post you can still join this ORP, however if you come in late and miss a roll, you will not be able to make it up! There will always be at least 24 hours between rolls. If you have any questions, please PM the shop mule!
Walking down into this Labyrinth she quickly realized she was not dressed for this. As much as the outfit she wore suited her, her prior certainly guarded against cold a lot better. To say she didn't much done during the winter was unnecessary, it was a given. She started out in all this very useful gathering energy using her charming outfit to her advantage, but now, now she was felt her place in this war was, well she didn't know. She was losing that determined streak and she was essentially useless to either side, her only saving grace no one seemed to notice for now.
This mission could certainly help. She could use a little favor, assuming she could do it. There were others around her, most of whom she'd never even met. Still, she attempted square her shoulders and look determined. Still she sighed outwardly, especially when she came toward the break in the floor.
Apparently she was going to have to jump. She took a few steps back and ran forward and did just that. She stumbled backward on the other side tettering on the edge but managed to catch her balance though her heart was thundering in her chest.
Quartz was somewhat surprised when Metallia's directive to them indicated there was some need for competition, rather than teamwork. Schörl had chosen what had seemed to be the most intellectually challenging mission for them, and Quartz had silently agreed -- it was a good fit to their skillset. To learn that teamwork was intended to be shunned in favor of individual showboating for the chance to impress their queen was, suffice it to say, a disappointment.
He made the leap not with haste, but with care -- clearing the chasm easily enough before waiting on the far side to catch Ceraskia in case her jump fell short.
If Schörl wanted them to rush, they'd rush -- otherwise, Quartz had every intention of sticking to his General's plan. He wasn't interested in attracting Metallia's special notice.
This had been Noctua's first time to the the negaverse head quarters, and as such her first time in the rift. Talk about being thrown into the deep end. She looked around herself briefly and puffed herself up. She broke away form Cinnabar to forge her own path, but that didn't mean that she could not forge it in her name. Noctua took a half step back, winding her mind up for the jump she was about to make. She'd never put her life in such jeopardy, and yet here she was, ready to make a leap of faith. She just had to trust that the years of yoga has made her legs strong enough...
She jumped. No counting down. No closing her eyes and holding her breath. After Noctua's moment of collection she took a few quick steps for momentum and leapt over the chasm. She didn't exactly stick the landing, and for one horrible moment she was terrified that she was going to plummet to her doom. Noctua skidded to a halt and took a moment to take in what had just happened. Okay... okay... Adrenaline rushed through her veins, causing her to jog in place for a few moments before turning to face whatever came next.
An obstacle course. Of course it would make perfect sense for every decent labyrinth to have one. It has been like 3 years since Amethyst attempted one of these during the Hunger Games marathon that led to his corruption and joining the Negaverse. In any case, it was probably too late to turn around and see if he could join the group that was headed for the cave so he might as well try to roll with things even though someone from Spec-Ops was likely better suited for the task.
The temptation to teleport in order to get this over and done with was there but the Captain wasn't about to do that when he needed to conserve his strength for what else that laid ahead since this was just a start.
The Labyrinth was just as creepy as it sounded to be.
Staircases were bad enough when one was wearing heels, but to be blinded by the brightness of the purple crystals was merely salt in the figurative wound. The air had grown thin and cool the further down the group had traveled, Dia instinctively pulling both Grendel and Lace closer to her, attempting to keep herself warm. Her extended skirt did nothing to help insulate her body and protect it against the harsh temperatures of this secret dwelling. A flash of pink caught her eye as she descended the stairwell - it seems as if the adorable but deadly General Serandite had answered Metallia's call and chosen to enter the Labyrinth as well.
The crystal was tucked away - she would let Alkaid or Tourmaline give direction, her focus more intent on ensuring her footing than attempting to direct the way for the others. Amphitrite and Victoria were not far behind, their presence additional comfort.
Well, at least it was comforting until she saw the giant gaping hole in the walkway.
Others were jumping - it was clear that she too would have to take a leap, regardless if she had any faith in herself or her jumping skills. Setting the two cats down (who were probably better off on their own to jump, truth be told - weren't cats naturally lithe creatures anyways?), she took a breath, a running start and then a leap into the air, landing with a graceful poise on the other side of the pathway.
That wasn't too bad - but Sailor Dia had a feeling that this was only the beginning of their journey and the tasks that would come with it.
Roll: 6 + 3 (rank) = 9
Skye Starrfyre
Felyn
frayedflower
Pixie Nyxie
Tsunake
revenant aria
LP
Ghouliboo
Feral Cat
Offline
Tsunake rolled 1 10-sided dice:
9Total: 9 (1-10)
Tsunake
Territorial Friend
Offline
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 12:31 pm
Grendel - Guardian Cat
Grendel did not like this place.
Everything about it was unkempt and ancient, twisted by time and decay. He still was not fond of the kitten within Dia's arms, but he wisely kept his mouth shut and allowed himself to stay snuggled in her arms. Alas, good things must all end, and the cold stone was soon firmly underneath his paws. The corrupted Super Senshi made the leap gracefully, and his ears gave a violent twitch as he studied the jagged stone that promised a painful death should they fall.
He had never been the most athletic of creatures, though his time spent scrounging in allies had certainly leaned out his once pudgy frame. With an irritable sigh, the cat backed up a few steps before he charged forward. His ears were pinned flat against his skull as he sprang across the gap--and found himself pleasantly shocked at his own skill as he easily cleared the chasm.
Stumbling a little on the landing, Grendel peered over his shoulder with an indignant lash of his tail before trotting up to the other agents that had done well. "Nicely done." He offered the quiet praise to anyone nearby, rubbing briefly against their ankles before he turned back to wait for the rest.
Roll: 9
Rank Boost = +3
Total: 10 outta 10 (12)
Felyn rolled 1 10-sided dice:
6Total: 6 (1-10)
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 2:53 pm
General Ascendant Alkaid
It was with silence that Alkaid escorted the ragtag group she had quite suddenly found herself in charge of. They could have been a worse group - she trusted Labyrinthite, especially after such a glowing approval from Metallia, to create a worthwhile team and he obviously trusted her to lead them safely as possible through this part of their journey. Tourmaline was a surprising addition that she made note to count upon if necessary and the corrupts? Well, she wanted to see them succeed as much as he did. The only curiosity, the outlier in those gathered near her, was the pink haired General..
..she knew her, right?
"Stay close to me," she cautioned warily as they began to descend the stairs, putting her own human curiosity to rest. She had never been so far below the castle in all her years and if her time had told her anything, it was that she could never expect to know what lengths her creator had gone to keep secrets. Despite that knowledge (or lack thereof), she stared ahead bravely, watching the shadows around them as carefully as she did the path ahead.
As they approached the gaping hole she stopped and considered it. It was large, although not impossible. Metallia would never have sent them to conquer something truly impossible. The only downfall was that she knew her own strengths did not belong in the category of physical prowess - she would have been much happier sacrificing the energy to teleport. At least, she would have if she'd known what might be in store for them later. Even for an Ascendant, the amount of energy that required could be the difference between life and death.
"Do not rush yourselves." Two bright eyes flickered to the group gathered around her, addressing them each quickly with the gaze. Dia, Tourmaline, Amphitrite, and now several others that had at some point become a part of this extended duty. "Focus and know your footing before you take the leap. The darkness has a way of playing tricks on your vision."
Was that good enough encouragement? Alkaid honestly couldn't be sure. She wasn't exactly accustomed to uplifting speeches. She supposed it was at least better than a simple 'don't be an idiot'. With one last sparing glance at Amphitrite, she turned and moved forward into a leap.
Roll: 6 Rank Boost: 5 Total: 11
Copying Ghouli's list for everyone in proximity because I suck at keeping up with who is where..
Victoria was looking around at the group that they had cobbled together. There were cats, captains, lieutenants, and generals all working together as one force for the Labyrinth. It was fairly amazing to be honest, even his fellow senshi seemed impressive in their variations of uniforms.
He rubbed his arms a little as they traveled downward into the cold abyss. "I wish we'd known to bring jackets." The russian said softly as he pondered if they should've seen if they could have carried some of those glowing crystals with them.
When they reached the pit he looked a little taken back. So they had to jump? There was a small frown though he wished he'd brought his skateboard, this would be so much easier. He clapped each time someone made it across, and then it was his turn. He took a deep breath, backed up a little making sure not to run into anyone and charged . . . .
He almost wanted to close his eyes when he jumped, but he managed to make it across landing fairly easily on his feet. "That could've been better with a skateboard. . . " He muttered as he straightened up and dusted off his hands, before turning to see who else was left.
Tourmaline lingered back as the others went first; not because she was afraid of the leap. No, she was pretty sure that she had taken farther leaps while on her motorcycle for funsies. She held back to make sure that no one tried anything foolish that would keep the members of her team from going forward.
Dia cleared the landing with grace along with a lovely bounce of curls and a flounce of her skirt. Grendel followed after (landing, of course, as he was a cat and they always landed on their feet). Then Alkaid, the Ascendant General; terrifyingly beautiful and full of power and grace. Her cape fluttered behind her as she took her leap, leaving Tourmaline filled with a respectful awe and she joined Sailor Victoria in his applause.
"You're up next," she murmured as he stepped forward, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched his technique. "Not bad!" Tourmaline was grinning as she called after him, taking a deep breath as she stepped back only to almost step on poor Lace.
The newly promoted Captain's brow furrowed as she glanced across the chasm before looking down to the small kitten. "The Pack doesn't leave anyone behind. You're with me, Smalls." Tourmaline scooped Lace up gently, carefully depositing the Guardian kitten into the hidden breast pocket within her coat.
She gave the pocket a light pat, making sure that the kitten was settled before taking a step back. One, two, three! Tourmaline took off running, springing at the last minute to vault across the danger zone.
(9 + 3 = 11)
Ghouliboo
Tsunake
Felyn
LP
frayedflower
revenant aria
pyxie nyxie
Hope you don't mind, I'm dragging you along. You can sleep in pocket. <3
The 'competition' aspect, so clearly given in direct orders on provision of the map, of having so many agents putting speed above efficiency irked the pale general. All-One was there with them and could go across the way to bring back word to all waiting agents, jumping, teleporting, or otherwise aside, about whether the far side was stable, a secondary trap trigger, or illusion. It would save energy expenditure for every agent there, blood from anyone in traps, starseeds used for healing which were in poor supply-
the list ran on. So what turns the mind of the fathomless on this particular point? Why make it ....this. Metallia certainly wasn't going to personally answer, nor was the creature required to do so on any single officer's account. Schörl drew Barbary's paws over her own hands like clawed mittens. If the ground gave way, she could scramble and cling. "Grab Barbary's tail if you feel yourself not making the jump-"
A general and a general's youma ought to have the strength to make it, and pull another along. Or at least hold them dangling and pull them up on the other side. Or teleport the lot if the whole ordeal was flubbed. They're mine.
A sigh of relief escaped her as she leaped over, hand pressed lightly against her chest. Her feet scraped the ground, pink heels clacking together in an effort to steady herself. Brown eyes scanned the people who leapt over - after all, leaping was a basic lesson.
"Children, watch and learn," General Osumilite teased confidently as he took several strides back away from the gap. He took a moment to build up adrenaline and rushed forward, taking a large leap at higher velocity. In his mid-thirties, he may be a good decade older than most of the others, but he took nothing if not excellent care of his physique - he couldn't allow for anything to be a c***k in his armor of perfection, an insult to his narcissism.
He cleared the leap with a stride and feeling like a pimp, brushed his shoulders off.
The first trap was easy, and predictable; the group made it past the first obstacle with ease. It was best to keep moving and go as fast as you could while your adrenaline was high! The next obstacle wasn't too far ahead. A few right turns took you to a perfectly normal looking platform. Serandite was in the lead, followed closely by Osumilite, Tourmaline and Grendel, but it was still early on in the race to secure Metallia's favor.
The labyrinth itself did not seem to change much during the run, but those who were paying careful attention might notice that someone had installed some sort of ceiling panel and run them over the last path and this one. The ceiling was not terribly low to the ground and seemed to serve no purpose; there was no weather here to require shelter.
But all it took was enough pressure applied to the right floor panel to trigger the attack: hidden in the ceiling, an array of large metal balls, some spiked, dropped from the ceiling on chains. They swung haphazardly, crashing into each other, the walls below, and any unsuspecting agents.
All you can do is try to dodge and pass through this obstacle—and hope you make it through to the end!
Quote:
Generate a random number between 1 and 25 to see how easily your character clears the jump! If you make a mistake, please don't delete the post! Any deleted posts will result in the player being disqualified from the game.
All characters who have been posted for growth of the next stage may receive the following boosts to their roll (this means, you do not have to have the art to receive the boost but you must have posted for growth and be able to link to the post to gain the boost!) :
Second Stage (Captain, Super, or Mauvian Human stage) get a +3 to each roll Third Stage: (General, Eternal, or Mauvian Senshi) get a +5 to each roll Fourth stage: (General Sovereign) get a +8 to each roll
Please include the boost in bolded red font at the bottom of each roll! Your rolls are being tallied, so the total of this roll will be added to the total of your last roll to determine how well you are doing! Please remember, if you have posted for growth but do not have art yet, please just link to your post in the growth thread also! Remember to include your character's name at the top of each post! Please also remember to fill out your posts; don't leave place holders! Your posts do not have to be elaborate or long, but they should be related to the character's action in some way!
If your character did not join this ORP at the end of the last post you can still join this ORP, however if you come in late and miss a roll, you will not be able to make it up! (You can no longer for the first roll; if you are just now getting into the ORP you will only be able to respond to the most recent prompt! There will always be at least 24 hours between rolls. If you have any questions, please PM the shop mule!
