The javelin toss and freestyle toss are finished. Most of the winners of the serious tossing are members of the guard.
Apparently, word of the obstacle course has spread. More humans and dignitaries are arriving while that is being set up.
The obstacle course itself is basically, running through the Ninja Warrior obstacle course with the addition of both melee and ranged targets that need to be struck and Wipeout style traps (with the exception that these are meant to be avoided by the contestants). Each contestant is allowed to choose their own melee and ranged weapon for the contest. It is an amazing spectacle run by the Shadow Striders.
Contestants are about 80% serious and 20% goblins who are showing suicidal levels of bravery*.
(OOC Note: I suggest new threads use 07.10...)
_________
*: The course is non-leathal.
07.09: For the Honor of Ht'Gon
Re: 07.09: For the Honor of Ht'Gon
Where are people:
- Lady Alystrakos (with Kizak) is talking to an elder fae near the children's area.
- Morek is attempting to convince Harrune to accept his support. Asai in tow.
- Cameron and Count Osmund are wrapping up a chat with Morgana.
- Spellbiner and Rasanam are flying over the city. They skipped the superhero battle though.
- Lyra is talking to Aibne and Rogbar about the challenge offered to Harrune.
- Odin is talking to various other people in the crowd. He has agreed to take part in the course, but only as an exhibition.
- Grim and Blitz are really looking forward to this competition.
- Daq Nott has been talked into signing up. He currently is attempting to hit on one of the drow, who is debating on if she could disembowel him or not.
- Regent Ashara has settled into the stands. Darnell is nearby; part courtier, part bodyguard. He is drawing her likeness, perhaps for a trump.
- Ossian has likewise agreed to go through the course as an exhibition. He is currently attempting to talk to Pluto, who appears as a roman centurion with a three-headed dog.
- Oberon has not returned from whatever place he went in the castle.
- Father Stormroar and Father-Confessor Lane are in a heated 'debate' over the nature of humility and the greater good. Stormroar is using that shamanic rage-mage power that causes his rage to be funneled into a cold logic. Lane is matching him point for point with polite rhetoric. The whole conversation is so charged with energy and tension that even the orcs who don't respect priests are giving them a wide berth. Perhaps this is because Father Stormroar does have a two-handed minotaur battle-ax across his back.
- Most other npcs are around, I just haven't thought of a good place for them.
Re: 07.09: For the Honor of Ht'Gon
About the obstacle course:
The goblins do not fare well... at least, most of them don't. I think only about 10% of them get past the first obstacle, and of those 5 or so, only the one from the joust competition (the leaping jouster) makes it past the second. Said goblin is booed, but makes it about two-thirds of the way through.
Ironically, the dwarves have difficulty. Some of the rushing areas cause trouble with their lack of jumping and running abilities. At least one dwarf (clearly delusional) attempts the course in full dwarven plate... Said runs include such lines as "Seriously, how does he expect to climb along the ladder rungs in that?" and "I can't believe that rope didn't break." also, "That's the fifth time that's whacked him in the helmet. Why isn't he moving?"
The orcs seem to have the mobility, but lack the discipline. The strikers of the course cause more than one to go berserk on the course itself, and the accuracy of the strike targets are a problem. (as are the running and shooting section.)
Worst wipeout is a clockwork golem sent in by a gnome. It explodes into a shower of wood and springs when it takes its third hit.
More interesting runs (for those not just watching for the hits... and there are plenty of those) include:
about 30 more goblins... a handful of dwarves and orcs. The female drow...
Rogbar, Ossian, Odin, a hobgoblin, and somehow Zunkir (albino minotaur) has been added to the register. Father Stormroar (minotaur priest) ALMOST agreed, but changed his mind when Father-Confessor Lane refused to follow suit.
The goblins do not fare well... at least, most of them don't. I think only about 10% of them get past the first obstacle, and of those 5 or so, only the one from the joust competition (the leaping jouster) makes it past the second. Said goblin is booed, but makes it about two-thirds of the way through.
Ironically, the dwarves have difficulty. Some of the rushing areas cause trouble with their lack of jumping and running abilities. At least one dwarf (clearly delusional) attempts the course in full dwarven plate... Said runs include such lines as "Seriously, how does he expect to climb along the ladder rungs in that?" and "I can't believe that rope didn't break." also, "That's the fifth time that's whacked him in the helmet. Why isn't he moving?"
The orcs seem to have the mobility, but lack the discipline. The strikers of the course cause more than one to go berserk on the course itself, and the accuracy of the strike targets are a problem. (as are the running and shooting section.)
Worst wipeout is a clockwork golem sent in by a gnome. It explodes into a shower of wood and springs when it takes its third hit.
More interesting runs (for those not just watching for the hits... and there are plenty of those) include:
- A bugbear in black-plate who does make it through the full course. He uses a sword and crossbow, and unlike the dwarven plate, the dark plate doesn't seem to impede him at all. (Or make noise.)
- A werewolf makes it about half-way before he loses his balance dodging a swinging medicine ball. More specifically, his foot-claws rip through the rope ladder he was climbing when he got out of the way.
- Two dwarves (who decided to not wear armor) make it through, as do three orcs.
- Daq Nott declines a ranged weapon and makes it clean through the course with just his strangle-cord. It does seem to be able to strike the distant targets. He has a better time than the bugbear.
- The shadow dragon, Endros makes it through the course in record time... and kind of forgets to hit any targets... the penalties for this put his time worse than Daq's.
about 30 more goblins... a handful of dwarves and orcs. The female drow...
Rogbar, Ossian, Odin, a hobgoblin, and somehow Zunkir (albino minotaur) has been added to the register. Father Stormroar (minotaur priest) ALMOST agreed, but changed his mind when Father-Confessor Lane refused to follow suit.
Re: 07.09: For the Honor of Ht'Gon
After chatting with Spellbinder, Rasanam returns and flies down to talk to the above-mentioned werewolf. Mostly he's asking technical questions about shapeshifting (and otherwise being generally friendly and curious).
I suspect this conversation doesn't need a thread - Rasanam's not trying to recruit a minion or influence local politics or the like. Of course, if the GM disagrees, he's welcome to make a thread; similarly, if someone else wants to join the conversation or distract Rasanam or whatever.
I suspect this conversation doesn't need a thread - Rasanam's not trying to recruit a minion or influence local politics or the like. Of course, if the GM disagrees, he's welcome to make a thread; similarly, if someone else wants to join the conversation or distract Rasanam or whatever.
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ShadowOfPreservation
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Re: 07.09: For the Honor of Ht'Gon
(This is way more than I intended to write for this but I was enjoying myself and got a little carried away, sorry)
Though only recently arrived in Amber, after seeing that Rogbar would be running the obstacle course, Jiga surreptitiously places her name on the competitor list. Now, with more than half of the competitors having taken a run at the course, the Tengu steps up for her turn.
She'd studied each failed attempt to learn from their misfortune. Confidence high, she sets a fast pace easily leaping from platform to platform, knowing a quick time will be an important factor in how well her run is be judged should she fail to conquer all of the challenges. Her rogue training and natural agility are subtly complimented by occasional downbeats of her wings as she moves through the early part of the course with ease.
Her preferred choice of daggers fly true at the many ranged targets that appear. Her speed and sure-footing bring her in range for melee strikes on others before swinging weights force her to leap away and continue her drive toward the finish line, the last few targets left unmarked.
Unperturbed, Jiga moves onward steadily, avoiding incoming projectiles and maintaining her footing and pace. Thankfully the challenge she dreaded the most was near the very the end of the course: a narrow corridor with nothing but water for a floor. Upon reaching it its clear that the passageway is too tight to fly through and the walls too smooth to allow her clawed feet purchase.
Nevertheless, with a fast time in mind, Jiga leaps into the narrow space with as much strength and wing assisted velocity as she can muster. Climbing by maintaining pressure against opposing walls was a technique she was familiar with but always in the past it has been from a stationary start. Her claws scratch and scrape, trying to arrest both her forward and downward momentum. Expecting to hit the water at any moment, she's surprised when her movement halts. Any elation at the temporary success though is short lived as a padded pole several inches around juts out from the wall to her right, striking her in the arm and causing her to lose purchase and splash into the water.
Ravens are a far cry from waterfowl but Jiga recovers from her fall quickly, swimming the last leg to drag herself up out of the pool and across the finish line. Ruffling her feathers, she sheds most of the water though her clothing is soaked. She takes a proffered towel from a nearby goblin, wrapping herself in its warmth and shutting out the babel of the announcers.
Though only recently arrived in Amber, after seeing that Rogbar would be running the obstacle course, Jiga surreptitiously places her name on the competitor list. Now, with more than half of the competitors having taken a run at the course, the Tengu steps up for her turn.
She'd studied each failed attempt to learn from their misfortune. Confidence high, she sets a fast pace easily leaping from platform to platform, knowing a quick time will be an important factor in how well her run is be judged should she fail to conquer all of the challenges. Her rogue training and natural agility are subtly complimented by occasional downbeats of her wings as she moves through the early part of the course with ease.
Her preferred choice of daggers fly true at the many ranged targets that appear. Her speed and sure-footing bring her in range for melee strikes on others before swinging weights force her to leap away and continue her drive toward the finish line, the last few targets left unmarked.
Unperturbed, Jiga moves onward steadily, avoiding incoming projectiles and maintaining her footing and pace. Thankfully the challenge she dreaded the most was near the very the end of the course: a narrow corridor with nothing but water for a floor. Upon reaching it its clear that the passageway is too tight to fly through and the walls too smooth to allow her clawed feet purchase.
Nevertheless, with a fast time in mind, Jiga leaps into the narrow space with as much strength and wing assisted velocity as she can muster. Climbing by maintaining pressure against opposing walls was a technique she was familiar with but always in the past it has been from a stationary start. Her claws scratch and scrape, trying to arrest both her forward and downward momentum. Expecting to hit the water at any moment, she's surprised when her movement halts. Any elation at the temporary success though is short lived as a padded pole several inches around juts out from the wall to her right, striking her in the arm and causing her to lose purchase and splash into the water.
Ravens are a far cry from waterfowl but Jiga recovers from her fall quickly, swimming the last leg to drag herself up out of the pool and across the finish line. Ruffling her feathers, she sheds most of the water though her clothing is soaked. She takes a proffered towel from a nearby goblin, wrapping herself in its warmth and shutting out the babel of the announcers.
Re: 07.09: For the Honor of Ht'Gon
(OOC: Let me know if you are finding these interesting. There is plot in the next one.)
The female drow uses a chain dagger and a wrist-mounted crossbow. The darts are apparently poisoned, turning the targets black when they strike. She isn't as fast as Daq, but puts in a strong showing and like him, doesn't take a single hit from any of the traps.
Another dwarf and orc make it. (For those keeping score, orcs are up by 1.)
The second hobgoblin also easily makes it. However, he disqualifies himself from the running when it is announced he missed a target.
Ossian finally makes his run. Silver-spear in hand, he makes the course look easy. Too easy, in fact. The course shifts around him in at least two visible places, granting additional footing and avoiding some of the worst pitfalls... These minor shifts in reality fade quickly, but are obvious to those paying attention. Since this is an exhibition run, his time (one of the best) is displayed alongside the others.
The goblins are less than interesting...
On deck, Zunkir is coming up soon, as are Odin and Rogbar will be finishing the run.
The female drow uses a chain dagger and a wrist-mounted crossbow. The darts are apparently poisoned, turning the targets black when they strike. She isn't as fast as Daq, but puts in a strong showing and like him, doesn't take a single hit from any of the traps.
Another dwarf and orc make it. (For those keeping score, orcs are up by 1.)
The second hobgoblin also easily makes it. However, he disqualifies himself from the running when it is announced he missed a target.
Ossian finally makes his run. Silver-spear in hand, he makes the course look easy. Too easy, in fact. The course shifts around him in at least two visible places, granting additional footing and avoiding some of the worst pitfalls... These minor shifts in reality fade quickly, but are obvious to those paying attention. Since this is an exhibition run, his time (one of the best) is displayed alongside the others.
The goblins are less than interesting...
On deck, Zunkir is coming up soon, as are Odin and Rogbar will be finishing the run.
Re: 07.09: For the Honor of Ht'Gon
Interspersed with the last few joke-like runs (Seriously goblins... they're not even resetting the course between your runs.), there are a lot of last minute dwarven additions, attempting to tie with the orcs... And three more serious runs.
Zunkir is announced. He has a small smith hammer. The albino minotaur looking fairly confident, although quite over-dressed. He's wearing a tunic and slacks, seeming more from the renaissance instead of the middle ages. His run is ... a little shorter than expected. While he's not bad, he isn't an acrobat, and his powerful sorcerous abilities are somewhat dampened by the local lack-of-magic. One of the hits takes him by surprise, and his flight spell... well, relies a little to much on his home shadow's magic and fails in Amber.
Some more dwarves and goblins, then...
Odin is announced, however, instead of him a small goblin, green skin, hook nose, with a spiked helmet that fits awkwardly and covers half his face strides onto the course. When challenged, he simply begins the course, expertly rushing forward easily dodging through the first few physical obstacles. At the first target, he pulls off what initially looked like a belt, but is apparently a flexible sword consisting of linked razors. He expertly wields it through the target section, causing it to be strong with thrusts and flexible when waved*.
About halfway through the course he takes a strong hit from a swinging medicine ball, causing his helmet and loose-fitting clothing to be knocked into the water surrounding the course**. With a few flashes, the ranged targets are cut in half one by one, before the goblin reappears in tight fitting black cloth wraps slightly further down. He effortlessly completes the run, perfect strikes and one of the best times.
When he is disqualified for taking Odin's run, the goblin simply responds, "I think he's okay with it." Before walking off.
____________
*: Not a serpent rapier, we swear.
**: Typically, the ninja leaves a log as well, but you get the idea.
Zunkir is announced. He has a small smith hammer. The albino minotaur looking fairly confident, although quite over-dressed. He's wearing a tunic and slacks, seeming more from the renaissance instead of the middle ages. His run is ... a little shorter than expected. While he's not bad, he isn't an acrobat, and his powerful sorcerous abilities are somewhat dampened by the local lack-of-magic. One of the hits takes him by surprise, and his flight spell... well, relies a little to much on his home shadow's magic and fails in Amber.
Some more dwarves and goblins, then...
Odin is announced, however, instead of him a small goblin, green skin, hook nose, with a spiked helmet that fits awkwardly and covers half his face strides onto the course. When challenged, he simply begins the course, expertly rushing forward easily dodging through the first few physical obstacles. At the first target, he pulls off what initially looked like a belt, but is apparently a flexible sword consisting of linked razors. He expertly wields it through the target section, causing it to be strong with thrusts and flexible when waved*.
About halfway through the course he takes a strong hit from a swinging medicine ball, causing his helmet and loose-fitting clothing to be knocked into the water surrounding the course**. With a few flashes, the ranged targets are cut in half one by one, before the goblin reappears in tight fitting black cloth wraps slightly further down. He effortlessly completes the run, perfect strikes and one of the best times.
When he is disqualified for taking Odin's run, the goblin simply responds, "I think he's okay with it." Before walking off.
____________
*: Not a serpent rapier, we swear.
**: Typically, the ninja leaves a log as well, but you get the idea.
Re: 07.09: For the Honor of Ht'Gon
At some point, whenever Zunkar next returns to wherever his gear his stored he will discover a small, loosely bound sheaf of papers. The writing within is clearly a work in progress, more a rough draft of an outline that might someday become a full fledged rough draft that in turn might eventually grow into a final product, but the contents will likely still prove useful. In short, this appears to be a proto-prototype of some sort of "Sorcery 101" aimed at people who already know spellcasting. Basic knowledge is assumed and there are undoubtedly more than a few places where the wrong assumptions were made, but there appears to be the promise of enough framework eventually that a reasonable amount of "I am familiar with learning magic" will be enough to smooth over the bumps. Attached to the bundle is is a brief note: "Saw most of your run on the obstacle course; not bad for someone so fresh to Amber. Been looking for a suitable test subject and your run just nominated you (although acceptance is entirely voluntary and in no way required for use of these notes)... Helps that your magic didn't look too dissimilar in basic nature from what my home shadow used; I can't afford to rely on that crutch for final revisions but it may prove useful for initial purposes. Give this a look-through and if you're amenable, even just the once, let me know what you think of it - what made sense, what didn't, suggestions and the likes. -Asai"
Re: 07.09: For the Honor of Ht'Gon
Zunkir will walk off with Father Stormroar and Cameron...
A few more dwarves will attempt the course, but none will finish, leaving them one complete run behind the orcs. Lots of grumbling by the dwarves, and tensions feel high at their failure.
The final run is Rogbar... He has a small selection of magic items for weapons. The run is fast and flashy. Rogbar is an expert acrobat wielding a light fencing foil that actually practiced on the course as it was being set-up. He knows every short-cut, intentional or unintentional; every trap, including ones that no one else triggered. His legendary luck in battle shows through with at least one trap accidentally knocking him further along instead of off of the track. His time is considered an exhibition due to that, but he manages to beat Ossian's time (but not the strange goblin, for those keeping track).
A few more dwarves will attempt the course, but none will finish, leaving them one complete run behind the orcs. Lots of grumbling by the dwarves, and tensions feel high at their failure.
The final run is Rogbar... He has a small selection of magic items for weapons. The run is fast and flashy. Rogbar is an expert acrobat wielding a light fencing foil that actually practiced on the course as it was being set-up. He knows every short-cut, intentional or unintentional; every trap, including ones that no one else triggered. His legendary luck in battle shows through with at least one trap accidentally knocking him further along instead of off of the track. His time is considered an exhibition due to that, but he manages to beat Ossian's time (but not the strange goblin, for those keeping track).
Re: 07.09: For the Honor of Ht'Gon
There is an announcement shortly after this time. Louder than it should be and carrying throughout the fairgrounds.
The tension between the dwarves and orcs briefly dissipated into stunned silence.
Dworkin is actually paying full attention, and seems to have just cast something.
The tension between the dwarves and orcs briefly dissipated into stunned silence.
Dworkin is actually paying full attention, and seems to have just cast something.