Task 4 - Fences & Nails

[sangraal]

You find yourselves in a round gilded stone room, perfectly empty except for a pedestal in the middle that holds a sphere of lapis lazuli. Babalon's voice comes from the ceiling, warm and gentle.

"You have embarked upon a journey through trials. Past these doors, you will find a series of rooms. Each room contains a choice between two tasks; one of you must make that choice, explain why you chose as you did, and perform that task in order to go forward. Some choices are easy, and some are harsh. I cannot tell you which will be which. Once you've performed a task, you may pass freely through that room if you wish to try another door. There is no forwards nor backwards; any sealed door will open upon a new task. You must clear four rooms, not counting this, to find a path out, and each of your group must perform at least one task, though you are not required to strictly take turns.

"This is the Point of Solace. You may return here at any time to try the other door. This sphere, which you should take with you if you wish to be able to use it, may be used to clear one room without performing either task. It may only be used once, and those who ask for solace may have little chance of winning. But I know many of you are not in this to win.

"I will heal any wounds you may receive when the task is over, and if you seek comfort from me, I shall always grant it. If at some point you are the only person left on your team, you may choose to leave early, or you may choose to call for me to be a passive partner as needed to perform further tasks."

There are two doors. One is marked with a large red א, and the other with a large red ב. Neither has a doorknob; rather there is a hand-shaped imprint where a doorknob might be.

(OOC: Please indicate OOC if you are lying when you submit your answer to why you made a particular choice. You certainly can, but Babalon will know.)

Comments

The Point of Solace

[sangraal]

~

Questions for Babalon

[sangraal]

(or discuss among yourselves if you need to)

Re: Questions for Babalon

[clocked_out]

If at some point you are the only one left on your team.

Fantastic.

Which Way?

[sangraal]

א or ב?

(Copy/paste or put down the first or the second, you don't need to type Hebrew.)

Re: Which Way?

[over_clocked]

[grabs the sphere and heads to door ב, putting his hand in the mark left for it]

The Choice of Control

[sangraal]

This room has two stone polished tables underneath the floating rubies, flanking the empty pedestal in the middle.

One ruby says: "Drink this wine and lose self-control until the entire task is over." On the table below it is a grail of rich-looking red wine.

The other ruby says: "Ask another to bind your hands behind you and blindfold you until the entire task is over." On the table below it is a length of red rope and a strip of soft red cloth.

(For OOC reference - the status effect from the wine will leave a character extremely uninhibited and with poor judgement for the rest of the game. Much like being very drunk, but without physical symptoms. Also the pedestals are waist-high, having your hands bound behind your back won't prevent you from sticking a ruby in one if somebody hands it to you and you're reasonably dextrous.)

Discussion

[sangraal]

~

Re: Discussion

[clocked_out]

[in fact, fisting a hand in his hair and tugging as they enter the room]

Yee-fucking-haw.

Choice & Outcome

[sangraal]

(The character who's doing the task should comment here to set the ruby in the pedestal, state out loud their reason for the choice they made, and start doing whatever they need to do. Results can then be threaded out accordingly.)

Re: Choice & Outcome

[over_clocked]

[GRABS THE RUBY FIRST, putting it in the pedestal]

We're going the bondage route since anything too instantly gratuitous means we aren't going to make it through this goddamn game.

The Choice of Loss

[sangraal]

This room is empty except for the two floating rubies and the empty pedestal in the middle--except that the shadow underneath each ruby seems particularly large, and there is a pair of crutches in one corner.

One ruby says: "Step into the shadow and lose your tongue."

The other ruby says: "Step into the shadow and lose a foot."

(OOC - feel free to recognize instinctively that the pedestal will be able to recognize your answers if you give up your tongue and choose to take on another task later.)

Discussion

[sangraal]

~

Re: Discussion

[clocked_out]

[glances at Dirk]

I don't think either of us want to strip the world of the god-given gift of our tongue.

Choice & Outcome

[sangraal]

(The character who's doing the task should comment here to set the ruby in the pedestal, state out loud their reason for the choice they made, and start doing whatever they need to do. Results can then be threaded out accordingly.)

Re: Choice & Outcome

[clocked_out]

[sets the ruby in the "lose a foot" pedestal]

Because a Strider's tongue is the best part of his body and I want a good ride out of my bro.

The Choice of Oblivion

[sangraal]

This room has two person-sized globes of inky darkness behind each of the floating rubies, flanking the pedestal in the middle.

One ruby says: "Step into the darkness and die with little pain."

The other ruby says: "Step into the darkness and suffer fearsome pain, then return alive and unmarked."

Discussion

[sangraal]

~

Re: Discussion

[clocked_out]

Oh look it's my turn no need to even uncover your eyes bro I got this one.

Choice & Outcome

[sangraal]

(The character who's doing the task should comment here to set the ruby in the pedestal, state out loud their reason for the choice they made, and start doing whatever they need to do. Results can then be threaded out accordingly.)

Re: Choice & Outcome

[clocked_out]

[Dave is grabbing the rock with the hand that he's not using to balance on Dirk's shoulder. looks sideways at Dirk, obviously at a loss for words]

Re: Choice & Outcome

[over_clocked]

[HOBBLING OVER TO LET DAVE PUT THE ROCK IN THE PEDESTAL]

We're doing this together because he doesn't want survivor's guilt and I'm pissed off about the fact that apparently he's already died a bunch of times. We're going the easy death route because that's obviously less bullshit than torture and presumably any 'death' here is temporary.

The Choice of Revelation

[sangraal]

As you step into the next room, reality seems to blur slightly, and you find yourselves in a similar round gilded-stone chamber--but with no doors or exits. In the center is a pedestal, with a carved recess that would perfectly fit the lapis lazuli sphere you have, or another of its size. Floating in midair, to either side of it, are large faceted rubies--not quite the right size to fit, but close. Behind each ruby is a full-length mirror with a golden frame. The mechanical hand is also sitting in this room, unexpectedly enough, ink on its fingertips drying from writing on the frames of the mirrors.

Babalon's voice comes from the ceiling again. "Touch the stones to know the choice each offers to you. When you have selected who shall do the task, that person must place the ruby in the pedestal and state their reason for choosing one over the other. Once they have performed the task, the ruby will grow to fit, the doors will be revealed, and the room will be cleared."

When you touch the rubies, they will speak the options in Babalon's voice.

One ruby says: "Look in this mirror and the greatest desire of your past will be revealed for all to see. This mirror reflects even the pages still lost in the abyss beyond Kohos."

The other ruby says: "Look in this mirror and the greatest fear of your past will be revealed for all to see. This mirror reflects even the pages still lost in the abyss beyond Kohos."

Discussion

[sangraal]

~

Re: Discussion

[clocked_out]

Well this should be easy; all you have to do is look into that mirror and gaze upon my swollen boner.

Choice & Outcome

[sangraal]

(The character who's doing the task should comment here to set the ruby in the pedestal, state out loud their reason for the choice they made, and start doing whatever they need to do. Results can then be threaded out accordingly.)