TAKSHAKA

[soulping]

[ You find yourself in a section of the maze walled off by hedges sporting glowing purple flowers. Several tree stumps with rich velvet cushions on them surround a much larger stump, upon which lie a number of cards... ]

Comments

ROUND TWO

[soulping]

[ There are now seventeen cards upon the table: the Fool, the Magician, the High Priestess, the Empress, the Emperor, the Hierophant, the Lovers, the Chariot, Strength, the Hermit, the Wheel of Fortune, Justice, the Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, the Devil, and the Tower. The Echo's voice sounds again, as cheerful as before. ]

Why don't you go ahead and pick a card? Just one person this time, please! Let's see how long you can tolerate the power within it--I'll probably get bored after about half an hour. Of course, if it's too much for you, you can choose to tear up the card at any time. But then you might not do very much to slow down this delightful transformation, hmm?

DISCUSSION

[soulping]

 

Re: DISCUSSION

[pchaaair]

[are you fucking kidding me]

Um.

Re: DISCUSSION

[barrette]

[ handholding y/n ]

This feels creepy.

Re: DISCUSSION

[pchaaair]

[yes]

And awkward.

Re: DISCUSSION

[barrette]

At least it doesn't seem to be doing any harm.

Re: DISCUSSION

[pchaaair]

Yet.

Re: DISCUSSION

[takewing]

. . . This is.

Awkward.

Re: DISCUSSION

[barrette]

[ still carefully pressing at her stomach ]

I hope this doesn't last long...

Re: DISCUSSION

[takewing]

It might well last until the end of the game.

Re: DISCUSSION

[experiencepoints]

... Not to be the one always killing the good feelings, but have we ever actually confirmed with anyone that these things can't last after a game ends?

Re: DISCUSSION

[takewing]

. . . We haven't. But in that case we can always quest to fix it.

Re: DISCUSSION

[barrette]

[ makes a face ]

Who will pick a card for this round?

Re: DISCUSSION

[experiencepoints]

[If powers were on, I'd be killing myself to get out of this.]

Fuck.

Re: DISCUSSION

[barrette]

[ ...prodding tentatively at the bulges with an unsure face ]

This...

CHOICE

[soulping]

[ Who picks, and which card? ]

Re: CHOICE

[takewing]

[Raven chooses Strength.]

Re: CHOICE

[soulping]

[ As soon as you lift the card, it feels as if a pair of leashes has slipped from your hand. What leashes? You weren't holding any leashes. Except suddenly it seems like you were, and now you've lost control of the wild beasts they were attached to. And just what are those beasts doing now that they have free rein? Why, they're wildly savaging your companions here in this game, of course. Blood and gore flies everywhere, and the air is filled with sounds of clawing and gnawing--and perhaps some shrieks of pain as well. At least, that's what you can't help but feel, even if none of this is real. ]

Re: CHOICE

[takewing]

E-Everyone?!

[WHIPS AROUND TO STARE AT TAKSHAKA DX]

Re: CHOICE

[experiencepoints]

... What are you looking at?

Re: CHOICE

[pchaaair]

[what]

Raven...?

Re: CHOICE

[barrette]

[ t-trying to take Raven's hand. ]

Raven?

RESULTS

[soulping]

[ How long do you tolerate the effect of the card, up to a maximum of thirty minutes? ]

Re: RESULTS

[takewing]

[RAVEN IS SAT ON FOR 30 MINUTES and cannot touch the card]

Re: RESULTS

[soulping]

[ After thirty minutes, the card dissolves into ash, taking the psychological effect with it, and oh, joy! With some hideous clunking noises, your bodies start to mend themselves about halfway, and the shape on the table empties out of about half its little cups, down to being a tenth full! ...for all of two or three seconds, until the shape fills back up to twenty percent. One shoulderbone curves itself suddenly into the shape of a cup; you can still move your affected arm, but only clumsily. ]