CORAL and JASPER

[dramatispersonae]

Paper walls rise up around your team's table now, and a quill pen appears upon it, along with a well full of ink in a vivid swirl of Coral and Jasper colors. Finely-lettered words shift and scroll in silvery-black ink across their surface, and even if you cannot read or write normally, the ability comes to you for the duration of this game.

Comments

ROUND ONE

[dramatispersonae]

[The words on the walls shift and sparkle, demanding your attention as they start to spell out instructions.]

At the heart of stories are words. In this game, you will shape and connect words, and we will see what stories emerge...

CROSSWORD

[dramatispersonae]

[One paper wall reveals a shape made of blanks to be filled in...]

DISCUSSION

[dramatispersonae]

Re: DISCUSSION

[grand_finale]

So, it's fill in the blanks?

Re: DISCUSSION

[chronophobia]

It looks like it. The single-0 lines, are those to connect whatever letters are in place of the first, third, and sixth line?

SUBMISSION

[dramatispersonae]

[New instructions appear for you...]

Fill in the crossword puzzle on the wall.

Re: SUBMISSION

[grand_finale]

Horizontal:
1. Aather is the home of the _____. (Personae)
2. Everyone enjoys a good _____. (March)
3. If you have a problem, try using _______. (Science)

Vertical:
1. Aather is a _____. (Place)

Re: SUBMISSION

[dramatispersonae]

[The words glow brightly there for a moment, and then, on another wall, a new set of instructions begins to appear...]

ROUND TWO

[dramatispersonae]

[Words shift and change on the walls again.]

Well done; you've put something together. Now give it a meaning. Tell me a short story or make a brief adage based on these words--without using any of the exact words themselves.

DISCUSSION

[dramatispersonae]

Re: DISCUSSION

[chronophobia]

Oh, interesting.

Re: DISCUSSION

[grand_finale]

...I guess. A story without using any of the exact words we tell the story with? That's kinda like chopping off your arm to teach yourself tricks with the stump.

SUBMISSION

[dramatispersonae]

Re: SUBMISSION

[grand_finale]

"The natives were having a stroll through Aather, enjoying the martial sounds of music. Suddenly, they encountered a problem and couldn't find their way back where they started. They combined their mental power until their reasoning saved the day. They learned through their struggle what Aather really is."

Re: SUBMISSION

[dramatispersonae]

[The words glow brightly once again, and then they--along with the completed crossword--fade for now...]

ROUND THREE

[dramatispersonae]

[The words on the walls change one more time before settling back down.]

Now comes the time to unravel the puzzle set before you by another team. The clues are in their story. You must do your best to come even a little bit close to their original crossword.

CROSSWORD

[dramatispersonae]

[The crossword is blank once more, and beneath it, a short story or saying appears on the wall...]



"Briar is wholesome. Really. We mean it."

DISCUSSION

[dramatispersonae]

Re: DISCUSSION

[chronophobia]

Thanks, Peridot.

Re: DISCUSSION

[grand_finale]

...Who's Briar?

Re: DISCUSSION

[givemeallyourlove]

So much thanks, Peridot.

Re: DISCUSSION

[chronophobia]

Briar is... Dragonfly's twin, right?

SUBMISSION

[dramatispersonae]

Re: SUBMISSION

[grand_finale]

Across:

1. Innocent
2. Moron
3. Peridot

Down
1. Idoit

Figures a team of low-intellect would misspell their own clue. [tsk tsks]

Re: SUBMISSION

[dramatispersonae]

[The words glow once more before fading, and the paper walls slowly descend back into the paper floor. You may go to endgame.]