lynchpin_castle | Challenge Zones

Challenge Zones

Challenges and Challenge Zones

Challenges between Champions will take place in designated areas at designated times, since this is ultimately a formal contest and competition between the Forces of Creation, and the Forces of Unmaking. The landscape in the void will and can adapt to provide these designated areas. Sometimes, a designated area will have a ‘base’ form, and be used again and again in various ways, with different options. These specific zones are listed below.

The Labyrinth (Primarily Mental)

The labyrinth is, in its simplest form, a complex maze. Long have beings used it as a tool of mediation and focus, navigating its walls whether in the physical or mental realms. The Labyrinth is one of the main challenge-zones that always exists, but what form it takes depends on what the current challenge is. What form it takes may also have limits and restrictions to provide a proper challenge to the champions.

The base form of the Labyrinth is an enclosed and complex maze that resists attempts to break out via any means other than navigating it from start to finish. It’s layout-changes every time, but there are ways to help one learn one’s way. (String, marking the walls, etc)

The Labyrinth Zone may be reached via a teleportation pad within the Observation room of the Castle.

The Mirror Gallery (Primarily Spiritual)

The Mirror Gallery has many names, but this is the most common. Mirrors are reflections, and reflections can be distorted or far too accurate for comfort. This challenge zone also takes different forms, but the theme always remains the same in that champions have their spiritual mettle tested, be it facing their worst fears and flaws, temptation fulfilled but with great cost, or making choices that are life-altering.

The base form of the Mirror Gallery is a small building full of mirrors of various shapes, sizes, and types. Depending on what one wishes to gaze on, one may find the mirror they wish to test themselves and attempt to learn what challenges they may face. (i.e: fun-house mirrors, mirrors that show your opposite, mirrors that show what you desire most…)

The Mirror Gallery may be reached via a teleportation pad in the Tapestry gallery of the castle.

The Field (Primarily Physical)

The Field is a designated challenge zone, that adapts and changes as needed for the challenge provided. It is an interdimensional space which may resemble a racing track one time, or a sparring ring another. It can be a vast prairie, or an arctic wasteland. Depending on the climate/atmosphere of the zone, there may be additional challenges for champions here.

The base form of the Field is a large area with mountains, plains, some rivers, and plateaus. It is reachable via a teleportation pad outside of the Castle-grounds along a set path. Where it exists otherwise is not known.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I mean, I don't mind a good fight but, we don't know if this creature was dropped in here like us as a surprise, or if it's part of this place. Also, they wouldn't have sent us in here for puzzles and brain teasers if they wanted us to battle a monster in one go."

She let out a breath, looking to him as he mentioend the dead end, or set a trap. She rubbed her head, looking around the place. Oil. Could be set on fire for light. Sand pit had stopped the floor grate at an angel. There were the, what, snake like things. Another one looked like water. Some others here and there. She moved around a moment, then said... "Trap."

A very firm nod to this, as she came over to look over the pit that Trunks was over. "Let's drop it down with those things." The pull was already set to that grate anyhow. She looked to him and smirked.

"If we lift this grate up and leave a hole here, we can... lure it here and drop this on top to cage it? That way it'll be stuck, the others will be safe too, and we can try and sneak out."

"Alright, I'll set up, you direct." Because he figured out the pulley system and what goes where to do what. "Keep your lightsaber up for now." Because they needed the light, and he was busy.

To be fair, they were both busy--between using the pulley system (and in some cases just the Force and muscle as needed) to get things as they wanted. Trunks was less than pleased with her hiding in the sandpit, but he trusted her and he made an easier target. Better for him to play bait, as they were in position.

Waiting, her lightsabers off as he gathered ki once more in his palm--making himself a target. The pulley had been rigged so it'd be easy to trip from a distance, either by her or by him, once the beast was in the whole with the...whatevertheywere. Wrigglers.

Trunks was positioned just behind the trap, keeping his senses alert and dropping some of his own masking of his signature. Better to be a good target right? Who knew how this thing would find them.

She beamed, telling him her plan. SHe hooked the hilt of her lightsaber up in some chains near by, leaving it hovering there as light as she moved to the sand pit, explaining to him that while he holds that and plays bait, she can hold this grate in place and drop it when the monster was there. She can do it hiding. It would be fine.

As she said that, both hands were used to lift, carefully, the grate, levitating it towards Trunks, and sliding it in place over the top. She twisted it so it was askew for now, not being held by her yet. She then checked the sand pit, leaning over to force push on it. It didn't budge. "It'll be fine." She said again.

And as she called her lightsaber to her again, she held it up and grinned at Trunks. "Okay, he's ... near. I can feel it." She said, and looked at their set up. She gave him a wink as she backed off towards the broken door way in. "Ready?" Okay so her going back out the door? Not part of the plan. Any protests? Say them now, though... she's going to do it anyhow.

If Trunks protested or not, she ducked out the open door way and... he'd see her jump. "Sithspit.." She said faintly to herself, then lifted her hands and did a force shove at the creature. There was an angered roar, and Ahsoka stood there a moment, hands out, shoving again and...

Hooves stomped loudly down a wet hall. Ahsoka ran back in, into the dark, and darted across the floor. "Be ready." She said, hands up to lift the grate into place and force hover it there, while losing sight of it and dropping out of everyone's sight, into the sand pit.

She had just gotten out of the way as the big fuzzy bull beast hit the main door, roaring inside at... well, just Trunks now.

Wasn't hard for either of them, working together, to move things in to place. Her beaming made him blush--but hopefully it wasn't obvious too much. Also made his heart skip a few beats, but he could ignore that.

Her going through the door though was new--and her cursing, just as he'd started to protest didn't help. Not much time to react though, eyes narrowing, and he's shifting his feet slightly. Letting a small burst of ki fly at the beast--just enough to sting, and help it realize he was the target.

"Over here!" In case it had missed it, as he prepared to move too. Just in case Ahsoka had any more surprises. Or this place did.

Minotaur were smart creatures that... Ahsoka had never heard of before. Or seen, though it reminded her of a smaller rancour. With less sharp teeth. Crossed with a nerf. Dumb looking, which is why taunting it was easy enough. She had moved to hide and the smaler grate over the pit was held steady with the force. She couldn't see, but she stood, feet sinking into the sand a bit, and held her hands above her, eyes closed, waiting. Holing. If Trunk's said 'Now' she'd let it drop.

The minotaur was smart, and knew that it wasn't chasing this boy, but the orange girl. So it looekd startled at the change at first, standing there sniffing around, annoyed. It started more towards the sand pit at first, until Trunks had thrown energy at it, stinging.

The shiny boy was now his target, growling as it stomped that way. The grates it DID step on creaked or groaned, clattering at the massive weight. It stormed in, charging right for Trunks.

Minotaurs were new creatures to Trunks too--but he did know how to make himself a target. Which was his job, right then--and he did it well. Waiting, waiting, even moving to take a step closer as if to meet it's charge.

Ignoring the creaks, and then "Now!" He'd let it get to where it could grab him, he almost felt the horns as he moved. Yelling as he did, ducking and diving to the side as fast as he knew how out of the way. Coming up in a crouch with ki in both hands--either to trigger pulleys further or to blast as needed.

For Ahsoka's part, the moment she heard now, she let the Force go on the flooring, and the weight of it dropped on it's own, falling with a scrape down one side and bouncing off another, fitting almost perfect, and crushing down on a very large pile of wiggling things. The creature would be falling with it, a startled yell and roar as it did, dropping into the hole, it's large hands trying to grab the sides before it went all the way in.

Almost as soon as she dropped the force, she pulled her feet from the dropping, sinking sands, and force Jumped out, a bit higher than needed, but lightsaber in hands, bringing more light to the situation.

One second, two seconds, three...

"Ahsoka!" Calling as he got to his feet, letting the energy go from his hands. "Move while it's good!" Heading for the door, but being sure she was following, waiting for her to join him.

The Trap had bought them time, and hopefully would buy them more.

As she had gotten clear of the sand pit, she was grinning, seeing that it had worked. All she could see was a grate that was dropped on the head of the beast, lowered over him and the room looked like it did before, but now it caged a great beast. And unless the bottom opened up exactly the same size, it wasn't going anywhere down.

She moved, running for the door and slipping out it, deactivating the lightsabers and putting them at her hips. She skidded to a stop at the wall outside the opening, and pointed towards the dead end. "If that monster is part of the tests, you can't tell me that trap doesn't count as awesome and passing. Did we want to keep going that way, or back track?" She asked.

The beast ROARED, very loudly, crying out more loudly than before. Rumbling the walls in anger. Over Trunk's ear piece, Logan could be heard with a cautious 'What was that?'

Hand up to his earpiece, Logan would be answered first. "Um...that was a beast. Some kind of half-man half-bull. We sort of trapped it in a pit." Yes, Sort of...because that is so reassuring.

A thumbs up to Ahsoka, and he's grinning. "I say we backtrack the way we came, see where we were being swept away to. We have some time now."

'Sort of?!' No not at all reassuring.

'Are you two all right?' Himawari asked carefully over the com next.

Ahsoka hadn't felt this good in a bit. There was something about a plan coming together that made her happy. There was a rattling of the grate inside the room and she hissed, moving now with him. "Good plan. Let's... get out of here anyhow. Lead on." She said and would follow at a run.

"We're fine Himawari." Easier to deal with her than Logan, as he moved to lead the way. Coming to the curve they could see, and he's pausing. Stretching out senses and focusing--is that air flow?

"Ahsoka, do you sense anything from that way?" Pointing around the S-curve, because it could just be his imagination.

She heard him talk to Hima on the com and smiled. "They're still okay?" She asked, moving to follow, feeling a bit uncomfortable not having her com piece still. She was used to keeping tabs on everyone if she could. Like her army she had to command, she liked to make sure she knew everyone was... well, not all right but at least in contact.

As they came up to the curve, she slowed, walking, her hand out and trying to focus. "Mmm... nothing weird, at least. Gut feeling says this is a good way to go, but it feels like we're going farther away from the others."

Hmm, Himawari had asked that carefully hadn't she?

"Well, it split us all up, so I'm not surprised if it's leading us away. Doesn't mean we can't find a way to backtrack or get back to them." This felt like the right way to him, and when they rounded the s-curving hallway, the dead-end was obvious. At least aside from the ceiling opening up.

Trunks took a moment to fiddle with his earpiece, taking it off, and holding it out to Ahsoka. "You're more used to it." Besides, he was going to float up and carefully look around where that hole in the ceiling lead to.

When he handed her his ear piece she snorted, taking it. "You sure that's such a good idea? After all, I lost the last one." She said with a shake of her head, taking it and trying to hook it up to her chains again, this time wrapping it uncomfortably into them which should help.

She leaned in to look up the shaft of the opening. It went up a ways. "I suppose you can fly us up there?" She said to him before he might take off to scout it. There was another roar in the distance, from the room. The creature was clearly mad. She frowned, moving to be just a wee bit closer to Trunks, before glancing up again. "Can you... imagine what a ride this would have been, shot up this on a plumb of water?" She frowned at THAT thought.

"If it weren't dangerous, it might be fun." Looking back at her when he heard the roar, frowning and looking back that way. "New plan, we're heading up there. I was going to scout, but we don't know if that thing is trapped for good."

Offering his hand, since it'd be a short trip.

The roar had her standing closer, yeah. And as he said new plan, she gave a firm nod. "Yes, that is a very good plan." And as he offered his hand to her she glanced at it, but then ducked under his arm and tucked it around her, as her arm moved to go around his neck. Very close, yeah, but she wasn't going to lose time here wondering if it was out yet or not. So yes, instead she snugged right up close, as if she was getting used to his flying.

"After you." She said, giving him a small smile before looking away and up.

Easily as close as they had been in the water, and his heart skipped again. Repeatedly; ignoring the heat he could feel on his face, arm moving around her waist to hold her against him. "First floor, Bull-monsters and traps." Trying to joke, mostly to try and avoid how she felt really nice against him.

Levitating, floating them up the long corridor, and stopping enough they could peer over the edge, before committing fully.

She has no idea he was having a moment. She herself felt a bit fluttery, but she held on easy enough, staying close and chuckling at his joke. "Second floor..." She prompted as they got closer, her eyes closing a moment, trying to sense things. "I've... got nothing." She said for life forms or 'danger' signs. As he peeked up she tried to do the same. Just another room, that looked as if it had been a garden at some point. Large, with stone work and dead vines of ivy. At the far end was two doors with words scrolled over each.

"Nothing here either." Visually it seemed peaceful, and safe enough. Moving them up and on solid ground, and taking a breath. Logic kept trying to tell him to let her go now, but emotion wasn't listening. Not with his heartrate higher, and he was too aware of how close they were and he'd missed her.

It had been difficult; his feelings were his problem, not hers--just because she might find someone else she wanted to spend time with. Besides, there was her whole 'code' thing, wasn't there?

It had him tangled in knots, and right then he was keeping his arm around her.

As they came up out of the ground and he didn't let go, she... seemed to not mind. Her arm tightened around his neck a moment, and she leaned back, to peek down at the long shaft. A brow raised. "I wonder if the water would have stopped right here? To let us up in here." She mused, leaning back and away again, closer to him once more before letting out a tired breath.

"I swear, the next time I hit a bed I am going to sleep for hours." She then glanced to him and gave him a faint smile. "I ah, thanks... for the lift." She said, and for some reason was reluctant to let him go, but... she thought maybe she was being clingy, and moved to shift her arm away from his neck and shoulder, to allow him room again.

Her comment brought a grin. "I know what you mean. After a warm shower though." Because that water had been cold, even if he'd dried them both and they'd survived. But he didn't mind her clinging, arm remaining around her waist and he knew he was blushing now. "...anytime." Softly, more emotion in his voice than he'd meant to reveal...

Then he's making himself step back, remove his arm. Taking a breath, and trying to be casual again. "It's nice having a partner to fly with."

She noticed he seemed to not want to let go, and she could feel how close they were and her own face lighting up again with a heat. As they stepped back she chuckled, head down a bit but grinning.

"I'm not sure I'm much of a good flying partner, but I can at least say I enjoy it more now than before?" She nudged him with her elbow as she pasted and started for the doors. "And a warm shower sounds amazing. That water was bone chilling." She had no hair to help her stay warm either. GO figure. "Let's see how much farther we are from a safe house."

"You enjoy it, that's what matters." Grinning with the elbow nudge, then moving to follow her. "Hopefully we're not far." Reaching up and rubbing his neck. "...rude as it might sound, I'm ready for food." He had been burning a lot of energy, but it had been worth it.

"How is that rude? You haven't stopped expelling energy since we started this thing." She asked, leading forward to the dead plant covered wooden doors. Two of them. She frowned as she started to slow to a stop, hands on either side, frowning. One wooden door, one metal door. Both had vines trailing over them, and writing on the doors.

"Tell me this isn't a riddle." She was bad at riddles.

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