[GAME 38] EMERALD

[dramatispersonae]

[You find yourself on a circular island of grass. Though night has fallen, the island is surprisingly well-illuminated by a stone lantern at its center. The lantern's light reaches far enough to reveal that the island is surrounded by water -- a pond? The water's glassy, greenish surface is only broken by the stems of huge white lotuses. Each lotus flower seems to glow ever so slightly, providing just a bit more light to the scene. The air is full of the scent of flowers and greenery, and the sound of crickets is almost deafening at first. It doesn't seem a stretch to assume that you're in some sort of garden.

Four ornamental wooden bridges, painted red, stretch over the pond in opposite directions. You can't tell where they lead. For the moment, the entrance to each bridge is blocked by a thickly-woven rope with zigzags of white paper hanging from them.

There is no moon in the sky, and the stars are only dim points of light.]

Comments

[MINGLE-ISH]

[dramatispersonae]

Re: [MINGLE-ISH]

[steampunked]

. . . huh! This set up's a little familiar.

[RULES]

[dramatispersonae]

[A scroll appears next to the lantern, and a moment later the Masked Lady's voice seems to issue forth from everywhere and nowhere at once.]

Are you familiar with hanafuda? Their name means "flower cards." You can play all sorts of games with them. Most of these games involve matching certain cards together in order to gain the most points. I enjoy card games well enough, but they can be a bit… boring on their own, don't you think? So let's find a way to, mm, make things a little more interesting.

There are thirteen islands in this garden. Each island, save the one you are currently standing on, represents a hanafuda suit. When you cross to an island, you will be given a choice of three tasks to perform. If you perform the task of least difficulty, you will be awarded the card with the least value, whereas the most strenuous task will give you the most valuable card. Some of these tasks involve your entire team. Others involve only a single person.

You will five islands -- which islands you choose is entirely up to you -- and you may only carry a maximum of three cards at a time. When you complete your fourth task, you will be asked which card you would like to discard. Certain combinations of cards will give you more points than others, so please choose carefully.

I wonder what tasks you will perform…? Ufufufu…

[The ropes blocking the bridges fall away. When unrolled, the scroll provides a map of the garden. On the reverse side is a summary of the rules:

一。 Move to an island. Obviously, you may only move to islands connected to the one you are currently on.
二。 Choose a task to perform. Once you have performed it, you will be given a card.
三。 You will visit a total of five islands and perform a task on each.
四。 When you have acquired more than three cards, you will be asked to discard one.]

Re: [RULES]

[twilight_boy]

So. Islands. We don't have any clues about their nature, so we pick at random?

Re: [RULES]

[forthefonofit]

I don't have any intention of stepping on Peony. [reading the map]

[CHERRY]

[dramatispersonae]

[Your footsteps echo on the wooden bridge as you cross it. In the middle of the bridge, there is a stretch where everything is completely dark save for the dim lotus-lights. But this quickly passes.

The island you come to is also grassy, circular, and lit by a stone lantern. However, unlike the starting island, it is dominated by a large cherry tree in full bloom that almost seems to embrace the lantern. The island is carpeted with its blossoms. As though to drive the theme home, the paper pasted to the face of the lantern has the emblem of a cherry blossom on it. In front of the lantern is a stone step on which three cards have been placed.



Upon seeing the cards, you instantly know the task associated with each.

✿ cherry with curtain: one person must kiss another deeply (10 points)
✿ red-lettered tanzaku: each person must kiss another on the lips (5 points)
✿ plain cherry: one person must a kiss another on the lips (1 points)

Which will you choose?]

Re: [CHERRY]

[forthefonofit]

[...

muffled laugh before just letting it go]

Re: [CHERRY]

[fraternalorders]

[...]

Re: [CHERRY]

[steampunked]

[. . . snicker!]

Well, it's been a while since a game asked for this.

[WILLOW]

[dramatispersonae]

[At first, all you can see of the island is a large weeping willow. Its drooping branches encircle the perimeter of the island like a living curtain. Brush them aside, however, and you will find the usual lantern at its trunk. Around the lantern are several sotoba -- the wooden boards on which the posthumous name of the deceased are written -- giving it the look of a graveyard. They are too worn and faded to make out the writing on them. In front of the lantern is a stone step on which three cards have been placed. Funeral incense smolders next to the cards.



Upon seeing the cards, you instantly know the task associated with each.

✿ willow with poet: one person must let the others view/experience one of their greatest fears (10 points)
✿ willow with swallow: each person must experience one of their worst fears (5 points)
✿ rain and lightning: one person must experience one of their worst fears (1 point)

Which will you choose?]

Re: [WILLOW]

[steampunked]

. . . not so cheery. I guess we should compare fears and see which is the least awful.

Re: [WILLOW]

[forthefonofit]

Mine would be quite underwhelming.

Re: [WILLOW]

[twilight_boy]

I don't remember enough to share much of anything, but I can be the witness.

It sounds like pretty personal stuff, though.

Re: [WILLOW]

[fraternalorders]

...I don't remember.

Re: [WILLOW]

[steampunked]

[the fear:

It begins with a sense of power, the exertion of power. Having it, like a wellspring in your body. Seeing nothing but light, pushing for creation, accomplishing a goal -- nothing but exertion and strength, and the joy of strength, hearing and seeing the world in a whole new way. It's a beautiful feeling, and terrifying, raw power, raw energy.

Then your vision clears, that sense of power fades, and all around you are dead bodies, lying silent. There is no blood, no wounds, no explanation for how they died, but they lay in sad piles around you, faces locked in endless grimaces. They're faces you recognise. People from other teams, and knights. Then, perhaps, you will all see your own dead faces. And as you look upon your own faces, you come to realise the reason why everyone around you is dead. It was you. Your power, that sense of completion and raw energy. You've killed everyone. You can't control your own strength. With all that power, all of that productivity, you've only brought death and ruin and pain. And it'll always be the same.

You'll never achieve anything.


That was cheerful!]

[CHRYSANTHEMUM]

[dramatispersonae]

[How lovely! Chrysanthemums cover this island, save for a small footpath leading to the lantern. Their delicate petals in the flickering light of the lantern… it's enough to make you want to compose a poem, if you're that type. In front of the lantern is a stone step on which three cards have been placed. A bottle of sake, enough dishes for everyone on your team, and a small knife sit next to them.



Upon seeing the cards, you instantly know the task associated with each.

✿ chrysanthemum with sake cup: each person must drink a dish of sake into which everyone has bled (10 points)
✿ solid blue tanzaku: each person must drink a dish of sake into which one person has bled (5 points)
✿ plain chrysanthemum: each person must drink a dish of sake (1 point)

Which will you choose?]

Re: [CHRYSANTHEMUM]

[forthefonofit]

And here I thought we were going to save putting alcohol in our newest member until later.

Re: [CHRYSANTHEMUM]

[fraternalorders]

[unsure]

Re: [CHRYSANTHEMUM]

[steampunked]

. . .

Guys that's disgusting but I really don't want to lose again . . .

Re: [CHRYSANTHEMUM]

[forthefonofit]

[holds the bottle and the knife] Who wants to go first?

[IRIS]

[dramatispersonae]

[Clumps of iris plants surround the edges of the island, as well as the base of the lantern. They seem to favor whites and cool blues and purples. Behind the lantern is a rack on which countless ema boards have been tied. They are too faded to read, but as you approach, they clatter as though stirred by an invisible breeze. In front of the lantern is a stone step on which three cards have been placed.



Upon seeing the cards, you instantly know the task associated with each.

✿ iris with bridge: one person must let the others view/experience one of their greatest desires (10 points)
✿ solid red tanzaku: each person must admit to the others one of their greatest desires (5 points)
✿ plain iris: one person must admit to the others one of their greatest desires (1 point)

Which will you choose?]

Re: [IRIS]

[steampunked]

Yeah, this time someone else is doing this.

Re: [IRIS]

[fraternalorders]

[sigh]

This would be easier of I remembered more.

Re: [IRIS]

[forthefonofit]

[no argument with Knife there, looks to Stealth and Roxas] Do either of you have a strong desire for something?

[PAMPAS]

[dramatispersonae]

[From somewhere -- you're not sure where -- comes the chirping of a sparrow, oddly incongruous in this nighttime scene. It's as though you've walked into a field. The island is entirely covered in pampas grass, to the point where the stone step in front of the lantern is nearly concealed. Once you brush the grass aside, however, three cards are revealed. A wooden box sits next to the step. Inside the box is… a ball gag? And something else.



Upon seeing the cards, you instantly know the task associated with each.

✿ pampas with full moon: one person must wear a scold's bridle until you are finished with the next island (10 points)
✿ pampas with geese: one person must wear a gag until you are finished with the next island (5 points)
✿ plain pampas: one person from the team must lose the ability to speak until you are finished with the next island (1 point)

Which will you choose?]

Re: [PAMPAS]

[forthefonofit]

[mentally counting the number of islands they've been on]

This is our last island.