ODE TO JOY | Hostage Trial

[starmods]

[you're ushered into a sitting room with your own team, away from everyone else. the door shuts and locks behind you.

straight ahead, sitting on the coffee table, is an indestructible clock with an indestructible starry globe... that seems to contain a small plastic figurine that looks exactly like Fenrir—the one teammate missing from this room.

the outer lord's voice rings overhead:]

I've taken from you one of your teammates, and now I'd like to see how far you'd go to protect them.

Comments

DECISIONS

[starmods]

[encompassing the entirety of one wall is a large chart of the night sky's constellations, with several of the constellations and their names lit up—you instinctively understand that it's a touch-screen where you select one of the highlighted constellations to initiate the team's challenge for that round.

the constellations highlighted are as follows:]

★ Aquarius: "the waterbearer"
★ Boötes: "the herdsman"
★ Caelum: "the engraving tool"
★ Canes Venatici: "the hunting dogs"
★ Crater: "the cup"
★ Cassiopeia: "the seated queen"
★ Pyxis: "the compass"
★ Taurus: "the bull"

[comment to the R1/R2/R3 header below this toplevel with your choice; a new thread with the challenge, where you can play it out, will come up. when characters complete a challenge its constellation is no longer lit and can't be chosen again]

R1 DECISION

[starmods]

Re: R1 DECISION

[shootingstars]

★ Taurus: "the bull"

R2 DECISION

[starmods]

Re: R2 DECISION

[kitsunebi]

★ Pyxis: "the compass"

R3 DECISION

[starmods]

Re: R3 DECISION

[shootingstars]

★ Cassiopeia: "the seated queen"

R4 DECISION

[starmods]

Re: R4 DECISION

[kitsunebi]

★ Boötes: "the herdsman"

DISCUSSION

[starmods]

Re: DISCUSSION

[kitsunebi]

[ WHAT

Stares at the figure for a moment, horrified, before looking up to speak out loud to the outer lord. ]

-- what is WRONG with you?

Re: DISCUSSION

[shootingstars]

How long have you got?

[because we'll be here a longass time for the whole list]

Re: DISCUSSION

[shootingstars]

...so we just pick a set of stars to find out what our incredible task will be.

Great.

R1

[starmods]

★ Taurus: "the bull"

The goddess, Ishtar, sent this bull to kill Gilgamesh for his advances.

[You are provided with a branding iron and a container of molted heat.

You understand the instructions as follows:]

"You must heat this iron as hot as possible and brand one of your teammates with it."

[NOTE: the brand is a big star]

Re: R1

[shootingstars]

[it's not water. elementally, this is Fine.]

You can put it on me.

Re: R1

[kitsunebi]

-- what? No, I-- I can take it...

R2

[starmods]

★ Pyxis: "the compass"

It's not the compass of the sea, but instead a draftsman's compass.

[You are provided with a single compass and several knives.

You understand the instructions as follows:]

"You must trace a large circle onto your teammate's skin with the compass and cut out the flesh to the bone."

Re: R2

[shootingstars]

I knew that sick fucko's true colors would shine through soon enough.

[...]

You sure you really want to do this?

Re: R2

[kitsunebi]

[ she's,

pale. but, perks up: ]

Yeah! Yeah, I can do this. It's just down to bone, right?

R3

[starmods]

★ Cassiopeia: "the seated queen"

The vain queen of Aethiopia who sat upon her throne with pride.

[You are provided with a large thorny crown of dried vines.

You understand the instructions as follows:]

"One person must wear this crown for the rest of the trial. Removing it at any point is the same as failing the challenge."

Re: R3

[shootingstars]

...that’s it?

[SKEPTICAL. But ok sure. She picks up the crown.]

Fine then.

[And places it upon her head.]

Re: R3

[kitsunebi]

[ watches... confused ]

Is... that it?

R4

[starmods]

★ Boötes: "the herdsman"

A plowman who would struggle with his job if one of his heavy animals stepped on him...

[You are not provided with anything. You understand the instructions as follows:]

"You must break a teammate's arm or leg."

Re: R4

[kitsunebi]

...

Oh, okay.

Re: R4

[shootingstars]

That’s...

Break one of mine. It’s just a break. The last one was easy.

Just watch the crown.