STERLING

[dramatispersonae]

[The room is circular and surrounded by a series of ionic columns, the floor and ceiling stretching overhead fashioned out of cracked, white stone. The area beyond the columns is pitch black, and the room itself is lit only by dimly flickering candles. The candles rest on top of a stone table, which sits in the middle of the room.

And next to the candles rest four numbered boxes]

Comments

Round 1

[dramatispersonae]

[Pandora’s voice is solemn, yet firm. You can’t quite tell where it’s coming from, though it fills the entire room. . .]

The chilled steel of a knife, the bitter taste of poison. . . perhaps both are made colder and sharper when they come from the hand of someone you trusted.

Which will you choose?

[There are four boxes waiting for you on the table, heroes and knights. Pick one]

Discussion

[dramatispersonae]

Decision

[dramatispersonae]

Round 2

[dramatispersonae]

[It’s Pandora again, and this time she sounds almost. . . angry]

With the desire for power may come the desire to conquer and destroy, which leaves those targeted only one choice: to fight back with all of their might. But in conflict, there can only be one victor.

Choose.

[The boxes from last round disappear in a waft of smoke. Four new ones appear soon after]

Round 3

[dramatispersonae]

[A small hole opens up in the wall and suddenly a spear pops out, taking out someone's finger or toe in the process. At least it cut off clean.]

Flesh, blood, and bone only do so much to protect us from injury. In the end, we are all mortal.

Choose. You have come so far-- the end is in sight.

[Four more boxes replaced the ones from the previous round. Are you ready, heroes and knights?]

Round 4

[dramatispersonae]

Sometimes, we gain nothing without giving something up in return. This is your final task, heroes and knights.

Choose wisely.

[The final four boxes appear on your table. You’re so close, you can taste it. . . !]

Re: Discussion

[senior_citizen]

[ ... carefully looking over the boxes ]

No way to tell what's inside?

Re: Discussion

[fullmoonblooms]

I don't see anything...Just numbers.

Re: Discussion

[senior_citizen]

[ resting a hand on the third box ]

Three, then?

Re: Discussion

[fullmoonblooms]

Yeah. That sounds as good as any.

Re: Discussion

[noeyeinteam]

Greeeeat. So it's percentage odds.

Re: Discussion

[senior_citizen]

Right.

Re: Discussion

[senior_citizen]

Percentage?

Re: Discussion

[noeyeinteam]

There are four boxes. Out of the four could be any sort of thing, but there has to be at least one positive thing if this is that kind of game. Which means a one in four chance of getting something good. Which means a three in four chance of getting something not good.

Odds definitely not in our favor.

Re: Decision

[senior_citizen]

Three.

Re: Discussion

[fullmoonblooms]

So it's all about getting lucky...

Re: Discussion

[senior_citizen]

And no choice but to play anyway, huh?

Re: Decision

[dramatispersonae]

[Inside the box is a small vial filled with purple liquid. Upon picking it up, you instinctively know that whoever drinks this will be poisoned with the side effects of fever, violent coughing and shivering]

Drink this, or pass it to another team to move on.

Re: Discussion

[noeyeinteam]

Basically.

... I'm Kakashi. I don't think I recognize you from before.

Re: Discussion

[noeyeinteam]

Pretty much.

Nice to meet you, though. I'm Kakashi.

Re: Discussion

[senior_citizen]

[ offers his hand ]

Captain Adam Brave. Good to meet you.

Re: Discussion

[noeyeinteam]

. . . Captain.

[shakes his hand]

Was here before back in Three's realm, but I got booked. So you probably came sometime during then.

Re: Discussion

[senior_citizen]

In the army.

[ not that he looks like it ]

... you were Booked? What does that feel like?

Re: Discussion

[fullmoonblooms]

Oh. I'm Estelle. Were you here before?

Re: Decision

[senior_citizen]

[ h... holding it ]

We're not passing this on. Right?