[GAME 38] TIGER'S EYE

[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]

[ganbareist]

[ah, tiger's eye and elliot... deep breath, looking around]

Beautiful place.

Re: [MINGLE-ISH]

[reducedtoasch]

A little strange though.

Re: [MINGLE-ISH]

[andallthekingsmen]

I haven't worked with your team before. My name is Elliot Nightray, pleased to meet you.

Re: [MINGLE-ISH]

[ferrissaves]

Ferris. Likewise.

Re: [MINGLE-ISH]

[reducedtoasch]

Dusk. Pleasure to meet you as well.

[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]

[ganbareist]

...Alright... which way do we want to go?

Re: [MINGLE-ISH]

[andallthekingsmen]

[examining the map]

Tch... 'tasks' again. Does anyone know about this 'hanafuda'?

Re: [MINGLE-ISH]

[ferrissaves]

There used to be a guy on our team who knew about flowers that had special meaning from a country called "Japan."

But he's gone now. So, no.

[MAPLE]

[dramatispersonae]

[Your footsteps echo on the wooden bridge as you cross it. In the middle of the ridge, 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 an ancient maple tree in brilliant fall colors, and carpeted in fallen leaves. Its gnarled roots are wrapped around the base of the lantern. As though to drive the theme home, the paper pasted to the face of the lantern has the emblem of a maple leaf 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.

✿ maple with deer: each person's form will shift to the truth of how they perceive themselves for the remainder of the game (10 points)
✿ solid blue tanzaku: one person's form will shift to the truth of how they perceive themselves for the remainder of the game (5 points)
✿ plain maple: each person must tell the others something about themselves they have not told anyone else in Aather (1 point)

Which will you choose?]

Re: [MAPLE]

[reducedtoasch]

... Our forms would shift?

Re: [MAPLE]

[andallthekingsmen]

What the hell does that mean?

[idgi..]

Re: [MAPLE]

[ferrissaves]

[Picks the solid blue tanzaku card!

Looks pretty much the same, but seems to be visibly ~*sparkling*~ like a RADIANT GODDESS OF BEAUTY. Ohyes.]

[PEONY]

[dramatispersonae]

PEONY
[The lantern on this island is almost completely surrounded by peony plants in various shades of white and pink, with the majority being blood red. Occasionally, a butterfly floats in to hover above one of the flowers before fluttering away. In front of the lantern is a stone step on which three cards have been placed. It is covered in suspicious reddish-brown stains. A knife lies next to the cards.



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

✿ peony with butterfly - one member of the team must cut off the tip of their index finger (10 points)
✿ solid blue tanzaku - each member of the team must lightly slice their palm with the knife (5 points)
✿ plain peony - each member of the team must prick a finger with the knife (1 point)

Which will you choose?]

Re: [PEONY]

[ganbareist]

[... eeegh...]

... I can handle this one.

[PINE]

[dramatispersonae]

PINE
[This island is carpeted in pine needles. Small wonder, as the lantern has been almost completely engulfed in the branches of a towering pine tree. A beautiful kimono patterned with cranes hangs from the branches above the lantern. 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.

✿ pine with crane: a full transformation until you are finished with the next island (10 points)
✿ red-lettered tanzaku: a set of talons and a pair of wings for the rest of the game (5 points)
✿ plain pine: a set of talons for the rest of the game (1 point)

Which will you choose?]

Re: [PINE]

[reducedtoasch]

[ Kimono?? ]

A transformation... into a bird?

Re: [PINE]

[andallthekingsmen]

What... into a bird??

[CLOVER]

[dramatispersonae]

[This island is carpeted in a fresh green bed of clover. Are there any four-leaf clovers in the bunch? Who knows? It might be a pretty sight, but there's a strange sound in the distance. Something like the snuffling and pacing of a wild animal. In the center of the clover patch is a lantern, and in front of the lantern is a stone step on which tree cards have been placed.



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

✿ clover with wild boar: one person is not-so-mildly attacked (10 points)
✿ solid red tanzaku: everyone is mildly attacked (5 points)
✿ plain clover: one person is mildly attacked (1 point)

Which will you choose?]

Re: [CLOVER]

[reducedtoasch]

[ CRANED and shifting awkwardly from one leg to another. ]

'Not-so-mildly'?

[CHERRY]

[dramatispersonae]

The island you come to is dominated by a large cherry tree in full bloom that almost seems to embrace the lantern. It 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]

[reducedtoasch]

[ WHAT!! ]

Re: [CHERRY]

[andallthekingsmen]

What-- We can't do that!!!

Re: [CHERRY]

[ganbareist]

Suddenly kissing...


[all possible combos:

Elliot x ANYBODY = no
Ferris x anybody = apparently no, especially not Guy :(
so that leaves

automatically looking at Asch]