VANARA

[soulping]

A knot of wild shrubbery closes off a plain stone alcove big enough for your team and...surprisingly tall. In fact, several feet above all your heads, a small stormcloud hovers, grumbling with faint thunder.

Comments

ROUND ONE

[soulping]

[ Wilder the Trickster's voice sounds from somewhere outside. ]

I don't care how noble and heroic you're feeling; what I've got for you is far more interesting. You're going to be thinking up curses. To start with, every team has to come up with three curses. Something like, "You shall wake up with eight hangnails every day for the rest of your life," or, "May your undergarments itch into infinity." Nothing too violent or damaging, mind you. Today I don't feel like healing up you sorry lot if you wind up maiming each other.

Oh, and don't try to make them blessings instead. If anyone tries that, I'll change them into curses myself. Now, do be as creative and entertaining as possible, hmm? I'm looking forward to it.

DISCUSSION

[soulping]

 

Re: DISCUSSION

[hatebound]

[huh.]

We have to come up with "curses?"

Re: DISCUSSION

[branchesout]

Those are some impressive examples, I think. It oughtn't be too difficult to come up with something.

SUBMIT

[soulping]

 

Re: SUBMIT

[hatebound]

- You will always confuse the salt and sugar and ruin your coffee and eggs
- No matter what you speak, it will come out in song
- May you trip on every fifth step you take

ROUND TWO

[soulping]

So, have you all got three curses? Good, good. Now you'll be selecting a team to send each of them to--no more than one per team!

And let me tell you, if you don't pick, I'll pick for you.

CURSES

[soulping]

Hovering beneath the stormcloud are the following curses:

1. "You will always confuse the salt and sugar and ruin your coffee and eggs."
2. "No matter what you speak, it will come out in song."
3. "May you trip on every fifth step you take."

DISCUSSION

[soulping]

 

[branchesout]

Oh, I see! Have you anyone in mind to choose?

SUBMIT

[soulping]

 

Re: SUBMIT

[branchesout]

1. "You will always confuse the salt and sugar and ruin your coffee and eggs" to Epona
2. "No matter what you speak, it will come out in song" to Ratatoskr
3. "May you trip on every fifth step you take" to the green team which is neither Henwen nor Alectryon [Barghest]

ROUND THREE

[soulping]

This time, you need to send two curses to other teams. No more than that.

CURSES

[soulping]

The stormcloud grumbles above you, then spits out the following curses to hover angrily beneath it:

1. "Any time you try to speak, the only noise you'll make is croaking."
2. "May others only hear monkey noises when you talk."
3. "WITH THE BLACKEST MAGIC, I CURSE THEE...to always be aware of your breathing, at all times, forever!"
4. "May nothing you wear fit right for the duration of the game."
5. "May all your speech be dramatic, over-the-top, anime-style declarations."
6. "All your clothes turn transparent when you're in front of people."

DISCUSSION

[soulping]

 

Re: DISCUSSION

[hatebound]

[. . . well it's not like two of those would even do anything to him]

Were these all sent to us?

SUBMIT

[soulping]

 

Re: SUBMIT

[hatebound]

1. "Any time you try to speak, the only noise you'll make is croaking." to the red team [Ometotchtli]
2. "May others only hear monkey noises when you talk." to the same green team as last round [Barghest]

ROUND FOUR

[soulping]

You can only send one curse this time. Make the best of it.

CURSES

[soulping]

The stormcloud grumbles above you, then spits out the following curses to hover angrily beneath it:

1. "WITH THE BLACKEST MAGIC, I CURSE THEE...to always be aware of your breathing, at all times, forever!"
2. "May nothing you wear fit right for the duration of the game."
3. "May all your speech be dramatic, over-the-top, anime-style declarations."
4. "All your clothes turn transparent when you're in front of people."
5. "You will only ever make it to those stupid social bingo games."
6. "Your vision grows blurry randomly for a few minutes each day."

DISCUSSION

[soulping]

 

Re: DISCUSSION

[hatebound]

Annoying, that so many teams chose us.

SUBMIT

[soulping]

 

Re: SUBMIT

[hatebound]

6. "Your vision grows blurry randomly for a few minutes each day." to Takshaka

RESULTS

[soulping]

The following curses now swirl beneath the stormcloud above you:

"WITH THE BLACKEST MAGIC, I CURSE THEE...to always be aware of your breathing, at all times, forever!"
"May nothing you wear fit right for the duration of the game."
"May all your speech be dramatic, over-the-top, anime-style declarations."
"All your clothes turn transparent when you're in front of people."
"You will only ever make it to those stupid social bingo games."
"No matter what you speak, it will come out in song."
"Whoever you make eye contact with, you will want to romance, but not with lust."

Above your heads, the stormcloud, still grumbling, breaks up into multiple little clouds, which drop to hover over each of your heads, curses still swirling beneath them. Every now and then, a drizzle of rain falls from the clouds on top of you. But at least the overgrowth blocking the way out of the alcove pulls away. You can go to endgame, cursed and clouded.