|
Post by Liou on Nov 3, 2021 9:40:57 GMT -5
EdgyLiou is very careful not to get their costume caught on anything and thus gets their costume caught on several things, because they can barely walk through a dimly lit corridor of their own home in which they have lived for years without bumping into a door frame or two. Thankfully, being caught on various things helps EdgyLiou to resist the strange urge to smash pots and search for shinies. The setting is quite appropriate for posing around in an armour bikini, too. "%e= 2hmkm %km %## @xm$m 8e=m%= @x3e^$ wd8 gme@3de, km%$de%5#m %e= 1kd5%5#w ed@ =mgde34 1#%e@$?" EdgyLiou scans the Chia Pets, but is pretty sure that no demon would want to try possessing those. "1% 1o y^%x&y ox1#b, 1o#'% 1%?" EdgyLiou twirls in the armour bikini, getting it caught on two more vines. "1 #&&= %d c1#= wb s^b, %xd4jx! 1%'o ^ t1y= o1%u^%1s#! Badly Accented ChiaPetese translation: (proboards does not like ats and ampersands to be used where it does not expect them, hope this doesn't a splode while I post xD) "And where are all these undead things you mention, reasonable and probably not demonic plants?" "It is rather shiny, isn't it? | I need to find my way, though! It's a bird situation!"
Actual ChiaPetese / actual puzzle translation:
|
|
|
Post by Lizica on Nov 4, 2021 1:08:36 GMT -5
Gelquie Surprised at your thoughtfulness, the flamingo spears a tissue with one of his metal stake legs. “Thang yu, Rogell,” he says. “Dad’s very dodful of you.” As he gratefully blows his beak with a very plastic-hollow sound, you venture through the gate threshold--and are met with a rush of oppressively hot air. Sand surrounds you, cacti and shrubs line the area, and waves of heat distort your view further down the pathway. Magical greenhouses, dude. Wild. Also hot. Did we mention hot? Possibly seeing something ahead through the billowing heat, you follow the pathway until you find--yes, your vision isn’t fooling you--a real oasis in the middle of the desert. Since you’ve only just arrived, you’re not excessively thirsty yet, but you peer into the oasis at the reflection of your ghostly form. Your reflection waves back cheerily. Then it calls out to you: “The pool’s not an illusion, but is it a trick or a treat? Can you find here five differences, amidst all this heat?” And your reflection ducks out of sight, leaving just the oasis and the rising, rippling heat that periodically distorts the air, creating dual visions of the same scene before you. Sickly Flamingo Translation: “Thank you, Rochelle. That’s very thoughtful of you.”
|
|
|
Post by Pixie on Nov 4, 2021 2:46:23 GMT -5
RielCZ When all the mugs are set into their perfect places, the one closest to you starts to shimmer. As they stay in this numerically pleasing formation, the effect progresses from the slightest glint to a more persistent glistening. The snowman looks very relieved and tips his hat to you. He then writes “pattern 11 success!” on his board. It seems that the tables had been flipped many times before they were flipped on you, and your sudoku expertise concluded an arduous ritual. When you ask for some of the cider, the snowman gestures that you should take the shimmering one. You find with this mug, in addition to having the spill-proof effects that kept you dry before, that both the cider and your hands stay perfectly toasty. Congrats! You’ve received a Mug of Perpetual Coziness! The happy snowman gestures down the path in the direction of the party. You set off for the hopefully-warmer party space with the cider in hand. You follow the path of colorful decorations and approach a door. The kudzu golem opens it and wordlessly invites you inside. The coldness of the arctic zone does not enter this center area, and it is full of vibrant plants and festivities. Costumed people dance and a big spread of food (actual food, not folks costumed as such like yourself) is out for the snacking. The party is in full swing! Liou The Chia Pets consider your first question. “=d #4 z2d# t2m =4ad2&?” one asks, turning to the other. “#4 t% g4t&% z2d# t #xdg4 gd% d^ cddj &ceje%&!” the other says. “Je$x%! 4w4jmd24 #egg h4 g4twe2$ %xe& xdr&4 #e%x %x4a!” “=DXDXDXDXDXDXD!” “@$ %d3 %e2=e2y mdr3 q@m,” one goes on (with surprising generosity and seriousness), “@gg mdr x@w# 8d =d e$ 8r32 3eyx8 x#3#, %dggdq 8x# 7@8x, @2= 8x#2 yd $83@eyx8 @ x #@= qx#2 mdr $## 8x# =3@yd2-vd$8r&#= %d3r vd2%r$#= dw#3 @ 7r11g#.” “@gg 8x#$# 3eyx8$ @2= g#%8$-- Qxm, e8 qdrg= h# &rvx &d3# 3eyx8 e% #w#3mhd=m 4r$8 g#%8 8xe$ 8x3#@= @g3#@=m!” “=DXDXDXDXDXDXD!” As their laughter fills the rainforest once more, you bid them farewell and indeed take your leave. After the first set of hanging paper ghosts, just before the path turns right, there is a glowing ethereal sword floating in the air. There is only one thing to do when presented with such an unusual weapon, and that’s to take it. When you grasp it with your free hand, it turns into a sturdy, spiked shield. It switches back and forth between these forms in a slow, steady pulse, and you feel yourself becoming sharper and sturdier in turn. You focus on the form you like best right now, and it stays. You feel an overwhelming urge to break the fourth wall. Congrats! You’ve received a Magical Meta Sword-Shield! You press on, and the landmark-- the forumer in a dragon costume (and covered in a collection of plushies)-- is sitting cross-legged just slightly off the path, half blurred by a translucent wall of magic energy. The wall seems too narrow and short to actually be trapping her in, but it is laughing. The wall is laughing. “Oh, I’ll play your game, Airin, but you can’t get me to actually like crosswords!” she groans, tentatively filling in some boxes of the puzzle before her with a neon green colored pencil. “I’ll get these eventually.” Going straight from there, you find a door that a quietly churning mass of kudzu opens up for you. And inside--oh, nice! More plants, food, spooky decor, and costumed visitors dancing. Time to kick back and relax a bit! Surely there aren’t any demonic things in here, right? Better not wave your spiky outfit and newly acquired weapon at that giant snake plant that’s taking selfies with trick-or-treaters, though.
|
|
|
Post by RielCZ on Nov 4, 2021 13:08:19 GMT -5
"Woo, pattern 11 success!" Riel chants before taking the shimmering mug. He instantly feels warmer and cozier, and holds it above his head in victory. "This should be perfect for the coming winter months, thank you so much, Snowman!"
The pizza'd individual thanks the kudzu golem as he enters. He finds the food table and helps himself to an actual slice of pizza (or 4) before deciding to try and mingle some before the party winds down.
He approaches a small crowd. "I was given a Mug of Perpetual Coziness en route to the party here for helping to set tables." He shows off his treasure. "What about you all?"
|
|
|
Post by Gelquie on Nov 4, 2021 17:27:35 GMT -5
Lizica Pixie The ghost-like apparition waved to the sickly flamingo. "You're welcome! Oh, and it's just 'Gel'. Close, though!" They entered the threshold and found themself within the desert. They had to take a moment to just stand there, trying to acclimate to the sudden atmospheric change. The heat, the dryness... The dryness they were used to, but that heat. Was that their reflection waving at them? Did they stop waving to the flamingo at all, or forget? ...No, their hands were at their sides. Still, the emanating heat and the inversions were intense... And. Was their reflection talking? And then they spoke a riddle and left, and... ...Okay. They needed a moment. They sat down and placed their feet in the water, taking a moment to feel more comfortable and just take in the scenery around them. Well, it was a nice oasis, and the heat radiating from the ground made for a very strong example of such extreme conditions. The cacti were pretty neat too; a strong example of such hardiness! Still, it was hard to focus on them as much as they should. ...Come to think. Now that they were feeling better, the reflection gave them a riddle, didn't they? It was so hot that they must've just shallowly taken in the information. Enough to know that this pool is real, anyway. Was this sight really just because of the radiating heat? Fata morgana was a thing, but this looked like something else entirely... They took their time staring at the view before them, taking their time to carefully pick everything out. They didn't know whether it was as an exercise in grounding, to help them acclimate better, or because of the riddle on the back of their mind. Whatever the reason... ...Huh? Was that a bat's reflection in the water? No way; bats don't live in deserts, do they? ...And sure enough, when they looked up, there was no bat present, but there was still one in the pool... right? ...Wait, was that a smal ghost too? And come to think, when they looked up, did that flower bud bloom so suddenly? Come to think, something else was weird. There was no one else but them around, yet it seemed like a rock was missing. And at some point, suddenly one cacti had more spines... Huh. What an odd... illusion? Or were they not doing well as they thought and were now hallucinating? It was in line with the riddle, but maybe their hallucinations followed some sort of internal logic. ...Well, whatever the case, they took out some paper and marked the locations where they noticed the oddities. If it was real, that would prove they found them all. If it wasn't, they could at least make sense of their heat-induced insanity later.
|
|
|
Post by Lizica on Nov 5, 2021 1:30:33 GMT -5
Gelquie As you acclimate and relax enough to mindfully pick out the strange differences, soon the scene before you begins to solidify and gently meld together into a single whole: The cactus flower remains in bloom; the ephemeral rock is still there, but is now a rustic orange color; the extra cactus spines and the small ghost vanish; and the reflected bat stays visible, fluttering around among the plant life within the oasis. It’s still hot, of course, but it seems that at least some of the waves of heat that distorted your view before must have been some kind of magical test from this pool. On cue, your reflection pokes back into view, looking very proud. “That’s precisely right, how very well-spotted! You’ve earned a treat, with what time was allotted-- This one is no trick, but a creature most true From both sun and danger, let them protect you!” And as you watch the reflection in the oasis, the fluttering desert bat therein suddenly flutters outside the frame of the oasis’s calm surface--and transitions into a bat’s shadow upon the sandy ground beside you. You glance up and see no corresponding bat there, but the shadow gingerly flutters across your face and shields your eyes from the blinding desert light. It seems like it really does want to protect you! Congrats! You’ve received a Shadow Sentinel Bat! Your reflection in the oasis appears now to be an ordinary reflection of you (though perhaps smiling a little). And as you look on, the bat shadow fondly circles around you on the ground before darting forward, guiding you on the path ahead. You follow the shadow through the desert, passing cacti, construction paper jack-o’-lanterns, a watering can brightly sloshing water around as if it’s dancing, and some interesting low-lying plants. Soon you come to a large door, which is courteously swung wide for you by a huge green swath of kudzu. The bat shadow flutters into the room, and then alights on the side of your shoulder as you stride through--into the trick-or-treat party! There’s food and festivities, dancing and games, awesome costumes and friendly chatter. It doesn’t look overly crowded, but it seems as though everyone from across the entire greenhouse must have now congregated here, even those who had trouble with puzzles or directions before. “Thank you for coming, everyone!” calls an elderly woman dressed as a rafflesia bloom. “I hope you’ve all had a good time tonight! Now, who’s ready for the pumpkin costume judging?”
|
|
|
Post by RielCZ on Nov 5, 2021 13:32:19 GMT -5
“Thank you for coming, everyone!” calls an elderly woman dressed as a rafflesia bloom. “I hope you’ve all had a good time tonight! Now, who’s ready for the pumpkin costume judging?” "I've certainly had a good time! And I'm ready for some judging," Riel says with a grin, looking around the party and at the guests. "Now, are we judging pumpkin costumes, or were we supposed to bring pumpkin costumes for judging and I was unaware?" He searches his pizza costume and finds only a pocket disco ball. Maybe Deviowl can trick up something if necessary.
|
|