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The Showstopper
Finally it's here, the event you've aaaaall been waiting for!
[ The woman, clearly the ring master of all of this, has a commanding voice as she invites the contestants to the stage. ]
Here we are, darlings! Each and every one of you have braved the Cirque du Vrai and found yourselves enough to make it to the final stage! I hope you're not too intoxicated with temptation to withstand some final truths. And the one who makes it to the end, well.. let's just say they won't be who you expect.
[ A curtain flashes in the background, the silhouette of a pendant behind a curtain. ]
Who will win Attleton's most prized antiquity? Who will be our champion? [ The crowd cheers as she eggs them on, some of them seeming far more excited than they should be about a competition of this nature. ]
There are three rounds. The talents round- impress our audience and move on, fail and feel free to watch from the sidelines. Round two will test your mettle, guts, and stomach. And round three.. well, only those who make it that far will know the darkest of tests.
Let's begin!
OOC: Pairs for round one will each receive a comment. Please discuss OOCly who will win the round based on capabilities/luck/etc., then feel free to play it out! Once you know who will win, comment here to let a mod know and you'll get set up for your round two match as soon as there's another winner to make a pair. Please note that all round one games and pairings have been randomized using random.org's List Randomizer. Please also note that things will escalate very quickly after the first round, so if you are not okay with your character getting hurt, possibly lethally, you need to have them be eliminated quickly and are responsible for doing so. Characters are still wearing their masks and costumes and will be referred to not by name but by "Player 1" or "Player 2" to keep anonymity as much as possible.
UPDATE! (5/3): Round two winners please reply here to report winners.
[ The woman, clearly the ring master of all of this, has a commanding voice as she invites the contestants to the stage. ]
Here we are, darlings! Each and every one of you have braved the Cirque du Vrai and found yourselves enough to make it to the final stage! I hope you're not too intoxicated with temptation to withstand some final truths. And the one who makes it to the end, well.. let's just say they won't be who you expect.
[ A curtain flashes in the background, the silhouette of a pendant behind a curtain. ]
Who will win Attleton's most prized antiquity? Who will be our champion? [ The crowd cheers as she eggs them on, some of them seeming far more excited than they should be about a competition of this nature. ]
There are three rounds. The talents round- impress our audience and move on, fail and feel free to watch from the sidelines. Round two will test your mettle, guts, and stomach. And round three.. well, only those who make it that far will know the darkest of tests.
Let's begin!
OOC: Pairs for round one will each receive a comment. Please discuss OOCly who will win the round based on capabilities/luck/etc., then feel free to play it out! Once you know who will win, comment here to let a mod know and you'll get set up for your round two match as soon as there's another winner to make a pair. Please note that all round one games and pairings have been randomized using random.org's List Randomizer. Please also note that things will escalate very quickly after the first round, so if you are not okay with your character getting hurt, possibly lethally, you need to have them be eliminated quickly and are responsible for doing so. Characters are still wearing their masks and costumes and will be referred to not by name but by "Player 1" or "Player 2" to keep anonymity as much as possible.
UPDATE! (5/3): Round two winners please reply here to report winners.
Round Two: Jaune Arc VS Dorian of House Pavus
Ooh, I'm feeling the beat, you two! [ She turns to the audience, gesturing to the two of them. ] Jaune and Dorian, two brave souls stepping up to their second plate! Two may enter, one will leave! Well, perhaps. How about a battle of wits? I hope you two are good at word games, because we'll be playing Hangman next!
Now, there are a few rule changes...
Hangman
Both contestants play a game of hangman. Each contestant's hangman is someone they know stood on a box composed of six pieces. A piece is removed for each incorrect letter. Contestants may choose to trade places with their opponent's hangman at the start of the game, but will be disqualified from moving to round three for doing so. Their hangman must complete the game for them regardless or both boxes will be removed. If none of the four competitors want to move forward, of course, all may disqualify themselves, but if even one of the competitors agrees to play, the game must go on.
Please OOCly contact your (OOCly chosen) hangman's players now to get approval, then reply with their names for the game to begin.
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shh please pretend i didn't say their names last time they're just players 1 and 2!!
Ladies, gentlemen, children of all ages... [ The ringmaster bows, both hands extended as the curtains fall behind her to reveal two people standing atop a box composed of six parts- Alleyana Lavellan and Weiss Schnee. Neither were brought there willingly and seem to be slowly waking up from a bit of chloroform. They are restrained so that they can't just step off on their own, and with the way the boxes are wiggling, trying may result in a premature hanging. If they have masks from the party, they are wearing those, if not, they're simply blindfolded with little eyeholes cut out. ]
Your hangmen! What lovely assistants! Now, each of you may switch only with your opponent's hangman.
Now, as per tradition, we'll give you the theme: Attleton's prized traits!
Player one, your word:
[ On the stage below Alleyana's feet appears lit up empty spaces:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
and below Weiss's feet appears another:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ]
And this is Player two's. Each wrong guess is a single block beneath their feet. Careful or they won't have a leg to stand on! First one to complete their puzzle wins, so just be careful not to lose. Or, of course, you can all quit but then no one wins and you've got a disappointed audience! [ She gives an exaggerated frown and points to her cheek like a tear falling down. ]
Ready, begin!
what names?
Not again not againnotagainnot--]
Get her out of there.
I SAID GET HER OUT! [There's nothing very heroic or knightly about the way his voice cracks, or the way he swings his sword to scorch the earth, leaving a wall of fire that burns out too quickly. He finally looks to his opponent, the panic raw in his voice.]
We have to quit.
Right? I saw no names here
He quickly turns off, or at least turns down, the part of his brain that starts screaming and listens to the ringmaster's instructions carefully. He must spell out the word in 5 or fewer tries, or Alleyana will die. How petty, and yet, their prize is rather...costly in itself, isn't it?
His voice shakes slightly when responds, turning toward Jaune to regard him, but that's all he allows himself to bely his calm. There were two points to accept here. ]
Now, now. There's no call for theatrics. It's our decisions that put them there, and while we're certainly doing this for glory we're...also trying to get that pendant, which I hear is fairly important.
[ Logic in the face of certain death. It's Dorian's default. Oh, and flippancy. And appearances. He is in front of an audience, after all. ]
There is, of course, the option of attempting to not kill each other instead. [ He flicks his eyes toward the pedastel on which Alleyana is bound. ] Let us hope one of us can spell.
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There's a bit of panic before she really takes in what's going on. Is she in that awful (an immediately-added adjective) circus? She recognizes both of the voices too, and Jaune's hair and build aren't hard for her to figure out even with his costume. This is the first time she's met Dorian in person though, so she certainly doesn't know who he is right away.
Weiss, on the other hand, is hard to miss considering she's the only person with long white hair in a ponytail in Genessia. ]
What is going on?
[ Might as well draw attention to the fact that she's awake. At least that way she might get an explanation instead of just feeling that sense of dread tickling the back of her throat. ]
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No one in present company, at least.
Look, she was old.
Scarred.
Busted-up in more places than not.
She creaked. ]
Maker's balls...
[ She was also, you know, super eloquent in most cases. The elf blinked her eyes open and, to her credit, didn't try to struggle against the bindings, mundane or otherwise. She just sort of assessed the situation for a moment, that hawkish gaze as sharp as ever.
Maybe worse, through this blindfold-with-holes Zorro shit they'd put on her.
Naturally, her focus eventually settled on Dorian. ]
Dorian, what did you do?
[ Exasperated, more than anything. Like this was just any 'ol Tuesday for the Inquisitor. ]
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I'll switch with my opponent's hangman. But if we both switch, won't we both be disqualified? [He doesn't care that much about some stupid pendant. He just wants Weiss to be okay. Speaking of Weiss, he jumps nervously, turning back to face the two.]
Weiss, I'm so sorry. They're making us play hangman. But I'm sure my opponent is smart because he sounds pretty intelligent, so we'll figure this out and get out of this-- Won't we? [His attempts to sound confident die into a small plea as he glances over anxiously at his opponent. What had Alleyana said his name was? The fact that Alleyana just sounds like this is an inconvenience catches him off guard, but at least it doesn't worsen that sense of panic.]
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[ Mask or no, Dorian is unsurprised Alleyana recognized his voice. He doesn't know the young man with him, but he understands his plight a well as he does his own. He may not want to accept their responsibility in this situation, but it was theirs nonetheless.
Casting his gaze toward his dearest friend he clears his throat nervously before replying. ]
I decided to play a game, unknowing of the stakes. Don't worry, Alleyana. It won't be you.
[ And he returns to watching Jaune. ]
Yes, it would, so there really isn't much point in playing at all, is there, disappointed audience or no.
[ He glances toward Weiss, to Alleyana, then back to Jaune. ]
Unless, of course, you would have me continue to play on the chance I might seize that pendant. Again, it seems awfully important. Or we could all walk away and fret about who this obviously powerful artifact goes to.
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[ Great. So Jaune and Dorian, playing a game with her and whoever Alleyana is on the line. There was no way this was going to go well. She sighs, sometimes wishing she could have the sheer physical power that Yang had to get past the restraints with a little hulking out. Unfortunately with her hands bound she couldn't really gesture to get any glyphs out, or else they'd both be fine even if they failed. ]
Jaune, don't make decisions without discussing them first. I don't know this Alleyana, so I'd feel much more comfortable with someone who actually cared about whether I live or die plays for my life whether you're a terrible speller or not.
[ And her life beside, she hadn't seen the pendant on the way in- being unconscious and all- but if she heard right she has an inkling of what it is. ]
Which pendant?
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But while neither her fellow hangman nor the panicking guy before her are known to Alley, masks or not...
(...Though the other hangman's voice is slightly familiar. Something about the Bay...? She's gone through arrival twice, after all...)
That's all irrelevant, right now.
It's Dorian. Dorian's who she has to keep calm, by keeping calm. He's one of her people, and Alleyana isn't going to flip out and fuck this up accordingly by shattering the man's nerves. ]
...Oh good, a powerful magical artifact.
[ Her voice, although as rough as a crow's cawwing, is somehow just full of dry sarcasm. ]
Can't go wrong there. And it's a pendant? Haven't heard this one before.
[ This is the trick, with Dorian. Banter, and remind him of past accomplishments to boot. Subtly. She's not going to just up and broadcast in the middle of this shit that the pair of them have traveled a year forward and then back again through time, before, obviating an entire branch of existence in the process. In case this magic-backwards world is as hostile to time magic as it is to necromancy, at the very least. ]
Unless it's something that's going to stop Fen'Harel back on Thedas, I don't see why we even need it, Dorian. If it goes to someone we can't tolerate it going to while we're stuck here, I think we know how to handle that.
[ They've both been through this rodeo before. ]
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[Jaune knits his brows, Weiss's argument capturing his attention. He doesn't reply immediately, planting his sword in the ground and thinking while his elbow rests on his palm.] That weird person hosting this thing never said you couldn't help me spell out anything, Weiss. Or any of you. I don't want to put Weiss in a position where I can't protect my friend even if it is my fault.
It's some kind of important pendant to Attleton. I agree with Alleyana, it's not important enough to risk anyone's life, and if we need it later, we can figure it out then.
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He looked to Weiss, on her dias (and potentially her murder weapon) and took a breath. ]
I don't pretend to know how important this pendant is, Weiss, but I do know there are some things that are more so, no matter what. Let us all walk away, regroup. We can...stage a strategic raid later, if needs be.
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I'm not particularly inclined to die tonight.
[ Thankfully, not dying is something she wants far more than something they can obtain later if necessary. And it's good to know that she's got more than enough support if they do go after it. She'll concede as well. ]
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[ The Inquisitor huffs out a sigh. Because... ]
Dorian, if you'd be so kind as to cut off whatever's holding my hand back, I'd be appreciative.
[ Yep, hand. Singular. They've bound it to the bar that makes up her other arm, of course, but one hand is still one hand.
Ridiculous, all of this. ]