You suddenly wake to a distant rhythmic banging, the sound of metal on metal. Each hammer’s blow is like a battering ram to your brain, as last night’s Lyverian wine wreaks havoc on your waking skull. Bang. Bang.
Where the hell am I?
You are no stranger to Lyverian benders. In fact some of the stories you could tell would get the listener drunk just from hearing. But something was different about last night.
Why is it so hard to move?
Your blurred vision finds some focus as you begin to take in your surroundings. Stone floor. Cold. Torches are hanging on the walls. Bang. Bang. You’re in a cave.
I’m in a cave.
But there are no caves anywhere near the tavern from last night. It had been a bizarre night. Details come slowly creeping back to you. A trio of Minotaurs had come into the bar. Minotaurs, who could almost never be found in any Human or goblin establishment. Bang. Bang.There had been challenges and games. There had been fights, but no broken bones. And there had been drinking. You even met a girl.
Why can’t I remember her name?
She was a strikingly beautiful redhead, a ranch hand from the Frioll Shire. You struggle to remember anything more. Painful tingles are invading your fingertips and toes as your muscles come back to life. You must have been out for longer than a night, and the pain in your head is not a hangover from Lyverian wine, but from the drugs with which you were dosed.
Bang. Bang. You do your best to shake the induced grogginess because something is not right. Nothing is right about this. Your vision is no longer blurred, and it seems that your limbs can all move freely.
They took my sword. Damn.
Someone has taken you as a prisoner. They have taken not only your sword and armor, but your clothes as well, replacing them with several oversized woolen cloaks. Bang. Bang. You are not shackled or tied, a fact which brings you both relief and dread. For one, it gives you a fighting chance, but it also means that your captor is a fearsome enough beast to not require chains. You wonder about the red-headed beauty you met last night. Is she alright?
Just then you notice something soft in your left hand. A bitter chill goes through you as you realize it is a rather large lock of red hair. A small part of the hair is matted with some dried substance. Is it blood? Your senses heighten as you remember your crisis training. This is what your teachers called a “crucible moment,” and you must not squander it. Bang. Bang.
The cavern is large, but not large enough for a Dragon. There is a single dark tunnel leading out of the chamber, from whence the banging is coming. The room is lit by several torches that hang on the walls. In one corner, there is a pile of scrap metal. No complete weapons are visible, but with digging, you may be able to uncover a partial blade of some sort. Bang. Bang.
In another corner of the chamber there is a large pile of wool blankets and rags, next to a metal bucket filled with a black liquid. Oil perhaps? You cannot be certain. Additionally, there are several stalagmites protruding from the cave floor, each with points sharp enough to separate a man from his internal organs should he take a wrong step.
You wonder what fateful events could have transpired last night to land you in this situation. You hope with desperation that the lovely red-headed ranch hand is off somewhere happily tending chickens, but you fear that the truth is far more grave. Suddenly the banging stops, and before you have time to think, you hear it.
Something huge is heading toward you from the dark tunnel. A low rumbling growl causes the prebbles around you on the cave floor to bounce into action. You do not have long…
What do you do?
Official Contest Rules
1. Follow @SplinterLore and Splinterlore on Twitter.
2. Repost this post - Help us get new followers!
3. Tell us what the hero should do. It can be as long or short as needed. You should use "I" and "me."
4. The 1 winner each day will receive an Untamed Booster Pack!
5. Everyone who is not correct will die. Sorry, that’s the breaks.
6. YOU HAVE 48 HOURS
Have fun! Be Creative!
You quickly start thinking. If you start burning the oil, the cave will fill with smoke and you will die due to the lack of oxygen. As for the sword, there are some problems about it. First, you cannot be sure if the sword is a sword and will it even defeat the monster you are about to face? No, you cannot be sure. That leaves one option left, the razor-sharp stalagmites. You are pretty sure the stalagmites have already been loosened a bit by all the stomping by that monster so all you need is to knock those stalagmites free. You pick up some big rocks and prepare to throw. The monster enters, waiting for an easy prey but what he does get is a big stalagmite in the chest! The monster screams with fury only for it to incur the wrath of more stalagmites wiggling free from the shock of the scream. The monster, now fatally wounded drops down and tries to reach for you. His eyes are pierced though and he has to rely on his sense of smell. The monster drags the corpse of the dead girl away, mistaking it to be you and with one last act, crushes it and then falls dead. You have survived this encounter but you remind yourself to listen to your dad's advice to avoid bars the next time you are searching for a girl. The End.
Fully committed to coming up with the perfect plan, you start thinking through the various possible outcomes of your predicament.
You could burn the oil, but then you will be smoked out and probably killed.
Going for the sword would probably just attract the attention of the monster.
That means that your only hope are the razor-sharp stalagmites hanging from the ceiling...
WAIT! Those are stalactites, not stalagmites. Stalagmites are the ones that come from the ground, and stalactites come from the ceiling. Or is it the other way around? Does it even matter?! You silently curse the tendency you have always had to carelessly interchange geological terms.
Meanwhile, you have been so deep in thought that you failed to notice that you have already been swallowed whole by the Balrog, whose stomach acids have already begun disintegrating your lower half.
You're dead.
Whoops lol. I have a tendency to switch the two.
That was fun! Sorry you had to die lol
The next round is up! Care to give it another shot?
https://peakd.com/splinterlands/@splinterlore/what-do-you-do-day-2-splinterlands-rpg-contest-choose-wisely-win-a-booster-pack
That hero must run and find some clothes but we don't know if is a estrage creature or the beautiful redhead lady that maybe is a wich that enchanted the poor hero.
...Thinking of nothing but the beautiful red-headed ranch hand, you work yourself into a frenzy of desperation.
If I can only run and find some clothes, then maybe I'll have a chance!
Without even knowing whether or not your legs will work correctly, you make a mad dash toward the dark tunnel, straight in the direction of your unseen jailkeeper. You have faced unseen terrors before, so why be worried about this one? It's best to just put your head down and charge the problem.
Right away, running is difficult and the jagged rocks of the cavern floor lacerate your poor bare feet nearly to the bone. But you don't forget your training. You keep running through the pain.
But the Troll smelled you coming. Had you known that it was a Troll you would have known better than to allow the smell of Human blood to invade the air. In a dead sprint you run straight into the huge, stinky pile of flesh. A single stroke of the Troll's gnarled club is all it takes to crush your skull and turn your world red.
You're dead.
Thanks for playing @yonilkar!
You died, but feel free to join us in the next round! This contest will go on for 8 or 9 rounds, with at least one booster pack being given away each round!
Here's round 2:
https://peakd.com/splinterlands/@splinterlore/what-do-you-do-day-2-splinterlands-rpg-contest-choose-wisely-win-a-booster-pack
He quickly grabbed a nearby torch and held it up to the approaching creature, it is huge, even the light from the torch fails to illuminate his entire body. The monster moves its arm to grab it and at that moment the human thinks how useless it was to take a torch as a weapon, so as he could, he dodged his huge agile hand. He heard a growl, it angered him much more. The human is dizzy and still very weak, he doesn't think about anything else to do and be able to get out of there unscathed.
In a second, require notary something that practically sang to him what he had to do. I don't know if it would work, but we should try. He needed something big to fight it and think that that would be it. Before the monster's hand gutted him, he hit the torch with great force a few meters toward a barrel where he thought he had seen a liquid, praying that it was something explosive or flammable.
Just as the monster's hand was on it, the torch fell near the barrel, which instantly caught fire. This flame was close to the monster, it was a large Troll. He turned to put out the fire, so the human grabbed another torch and stopped it for another barrel, which was lit.
He didn't know what would continue, he could die from that fire, he couldn't run, he was weak enough to run away. He saw some blankets in the distance and will detect using them while the monster worried about putting out the fire with his hands. He grabbed blankets and covered himself, calling out to the monster.
The enraged monster pounced on the human and he covered himself with a blanket, running to a corner where there were many stalagmites, the monster cornered him and hit his body covered by the blanket. But failed. He hit the blanket but not the man's body, instead he stabbed the stalagmite blades that came out of the cave into his huge hands.
Now totally enraged, he began to strike everywhere, without feeling that they were gradually damaged and lost a lot of blood, the human dodged the last blows and saw the monster fall exhausted and wounded.
The human with all his might ran towards the oil barrels and guided him towards the monster, who, wounded, tries to get up. Filled with oil around him and totally wounded, the human placed a torch and the oil around the monster caught fire, slowly burning him.
You are up for the challenge, no matter the size of the beast that comes through the tunnel.
Shoot. It's a Troll.
You fight for your life, using every tool at your disposal: The torches, the oil, and the blazes they produce. Lucky for you the Troll is a fool and instantly loses control of the situation once fire spreads.
It is more a game of hide-and-seek than a fight, and The Troll does most of the damage to itself. Eventually, once the beast has soaked itself with oil, all you must do is toss a torch and run. Miraculously you escape the cave with your life.
The daylight is warm and relaxing on your face.
I need to find some pants.
Suddenly, storm clouds gather, as they often do in the mountains. It doesn't look good. Almost immediately a downpour begins, and lightning fills the skies. You're standing on a rock in the open...
ZAP!
You're dead.
Thanks for playing! :D
This was a tough one to respond to, especially since you were so thorough and descriptive. By the nature of the contest, there can be only one winner each round. This time it was @doctorcrypto, but you did great!
I hope you'll consider joining in the next round:
https://peakd.com/splinterlands/@splinterlore/what-do-you-do-day-2-splinterlands-rpg-contest-choose-wisely-win-a-booster-pack
Great Arianthus' Ghost!! I need to get out of here!!!
As I look around, I can see a stalagmite near the back of the cave that looks about my size and then it hits me...
I quickly take my capes off and tie them to it. Using the bucket of oil, I pour a trail to the base only using about half. I dump the remainder over the top and leave the bucket resting on top. "Not a bad likeness" I think to myself.
I grab a torch from the wall and rest it near the pile of rags and blankets as I conceal myself underneath. The beast is getting closer..closer.
As it enters the cave it sees my "form" and charges toward the oil soaked stalagmite. As soon as the monster passes, I grab the torch and ignite the trail of oil. Time is of the essence and I can't wait around to see what happens.
I make a break for it and sprint down the tunnel toward the daylight. Just as I make it outside a horrendous shriek emanates from deep in the cave and the sound of a thousand banshees flood from the cave to the valley outside.
I have no idea if my captor is killed or maimed or just slightly agitated but I need to find refuge and maybe some clothes so...off I run, naked as an Imp.
Very nice! You are the winner and a booster pack is coming at you :)
I hope you'll stay with our hero and perhaps guide him away from certain and various dooms in the next round!
https://peakd.com/splinterlands/@splinterlore/what-do-you-do-day-2-splinterlands-rpg-contest-choose-wisely-win-a-booster-pack
Hooray!! Thank you.
I duck under the wool blankets after dousing it with the black oil. I know that most creatures are put off by the smell and would not care to come near. My scent would be masked and I would escape and the blankets would save me from the rubble.
It was a wise decision and the monster hesitated a bit before stepping away and sauntering off. I dared not to breathe and after a while got up and walked away, glad to have escaped the dark fate.
You quickly make a move for the bucket of oil, grabbing it and pouring its contents all over the pile of blankets in the corner. Once you have emptied the bucket, you burrow deep into the wool mound.
The suffocating oil fumes nearly make you choke as you close the heavy blankets around you. Just as you get situated in the pile, you hear your captor entering.
You cannot see the beast, but it is a Garwig. Garwigs live alone deep in the mountains; they are one of the most ruthless monsters that walks on two legs. They are mildly intelligent, but not enough to speak the common tongue.
The beast is clearly disturbed that its Human prize is no longer in its place. Immediately it grabs a torch from the wall and begins searching every nook and cranny of the cave.
When the Garwig places the torch near the pile of blankets it presumed to be dry, a blazing inferno suddenly breaks out. You feel really hot, then poof, your skin is gone.
You're dead.
lol, you made an interesting twist.
Thanks for playing @sayee! :)
It was a bold move to douse yourself in oil and hide under oil-soaked blankets. I salute you! Anyway, in this contest, everyone dies but one winner, and this time it was not you.
The entire contest will be 8 or 9 rounds, depending on where the story leads. I hope you'll consider staying with us and helping build an awesome story!
https://peakd.com/splinterlands/@splinterlore/what-do-you-do-day-2-splinterlands-rpg-contest-choose-wisely-win-a-booster-pack
Thank you so much. :)
The metallic bang bang clearly indicates that my kidnapper is possibly armed, at least with a hammer. If necessary, I could detach one of these stalagmites and use it to defend myself.
I'm really not sure who or what my captor is, and besides, the stalagmites won't allow me to maneuver quickly and safely. So I decide to pretend that I'm still unconscious and to study my captor in order to develop an escape strategy, while I keep the sharp rock hidden behind me.
You decide that, knowing little to nothing about the nature of your captor, you should wait and see. You can only presume that the thing will think you are still unconscious as before. Because of the copious amounts of toxins you have had in your system through the years, you are able to shake off the effects of paralytics faster than expected.
At least you are near to a medium stalagmite that looks not only small enough to handle as a weapon, but loose enough to dislodge from the cave floor. In a pinch, you could make a lunge for it.
We'll see.
From the dark tunnel, you hear a deep voice and an even deeper snarl as you play dead on the stone. Into the torchlight emerge two figures. The first is a mountain Ogre, impatiently looking at her watch. You have seen these Ogres from a distance and you know they don't take kindly to strangers, but why would she have wanted to nab you? And where was the red-headed girl?
The second figure that emerged was a huge, frightening pile of black, skittering legs and snarling, gnashing teeth. You have heard stories of this creature. It must be the Ogre's pet. It is the necropede, and unfortunately it's just as interested in you if you're dead. In fact, the necropede would prefer it.
As the necropede comes toward you, you make a move with all your strength toward the stalagmite, knowing in your heart it is futile. Before you even reach the would-be weapon, the necropede snatches you up into one of its mouths and begins to chew. Ouch.
You're dead.
Thanks for playing @darthgexe! :) This is a ton of fun for me, and we just might end up with a fun, collaborative story.
Everybody dies but 1 person in each round, but everyone can try each time. There will still be at least 7 rounds to go, with a booster pack given away for each.
https://peakd.com/splinterlands/@splinterlore/what-do-you-do-day-2-splinterlands-rpg-contest-choose-wisely-win-a-booster-pack
Finally fully alert I look down and realize that though naked, my captore has left my boots. Probably due to the curse that fairy put on them, which before now was simply annoying. I start climbing the wall, hopefully I have enough fairy flitter (it's in the boots) to keep me 'on the ceiling' long enough for whatever is accompanying that offending incoming scent to see that I'm missing. I await my destiny.
Thanks to the spell that was cast upon your boots some days ago by a fairy (as a practical joke), your captor was not able to remove them. And if enough fairy flitter still remained from the spell, you would be able to cling to the wall.
You go for it. You bound to the wall and you're there in seconds. As you start t climb the wall, you catch a draft from down the dark tunnel; a horrible stench that nearly knocks you over.
That's no Troll.
Your hands and feet stick to the wall with fairy magic, and you climb up and up, toward the ceiling of the chamber, which is higher than you expected. Then you wait.
Great footsteps grow louder, causing rocks to fall from the ceiling. Just then, you remember legends you had been told when you were a child. They were ridiculous legends; everyone assumed them to be jokes of some kind. These were the legends of the Bear-Whale.
Now you know it is real, as you stare down at the massive monstrosity from above.
It knows you're there through its high-powered natural sonar. Through the chapped blowhole on its back, it shoots a sudden spray of acid directly toward you. Your skin melts... then your bones.
You're dead.
You review the details. You are in a cave somewhere and one monster is very well known for living in caves; the stone-splitter ogres!The are earth monsters and are used to living in the grasslands. What is the main enemy against grass? Fire of course. And the oil is the perfect weapon. You remember you learned a bit about fire from your trip to the burning lands and you know how to make napalm. You feel around in your pockets and are glad to find some orange juice left from the trip at the bar. You mix that with the oil to create napalm. The stalagmites are also made of limestone and are not flammable meaning that you also won't be roasted alive with the ogre. When you see the ogre's head poking in to check on its prisoners, you toss the napalm straight into its face. The ogre screams in pain and tries to shake the fire off but to no avail. You take that moment of advantage to sprint off into the night.
You realize that it must be an Ogre that is coming toward you, and the ruthless Ogres of the mountains are known for feeding the living to their children. Ogre children are normally adorable, but not when they are nibbling the spare limbs of a screaming victim. Egad.
Suddenly it hits you. You know exactly what to do! You can use science to defeat the savage beast. With oil and orange juice you could make napalm... If only there were some orange juice around.
Excellent! It appears that you do in fact have a small amount of orange juice in the pocket of the magic pants you forgot you were wearing. You whip up some science magic, and before you can say "isn't that convenient" you have constructed the weapon of fire.
Except you weren't wearing pants... you had no magic orange juice pocket...
What's happening to me?
You're being eaten. Slowly, but still eaten. The monster that came for you was the Antagorax, a giant spider-demon who prowls the highlands. Before it kills its victims, it doses them with a powerful hallucinogenic gas. When under its effects, a person does not even realize they are being eaten until they have lost too much tissue to maintain brain function. The Antagorax started on you some four hours ago. There are worse ways to go.
You're dead.
Thanks for playing, @hydrolino! :) We've been having a blast!
I really appreciate your creativity!
I hope you'll join us in the upcoming rounds of the contest; many more boosters will be given away, and there is much story to still be written.
Round 2 here:
https://peakd.com/splinterlands/@splinterlore/what-do-you-do-day-2-splinterlands-rpg-contest-choose-wisely-win-a-booster-pack