Towers in the Sea (Quest)

[LeTipex]

The man is huge. Nearly seven feet tall, built like a cliff, his blue skin gleaming in the afternoon sun, a wide grin on his face as he throws himself at you. You barely have the time to register his assault, taking whatever stance you can on the slippery wooden floor.

1. Meet him head on.
2. Try to dodge the assault.
3. You have something in your hands. Throw it at him!

[TheCountAlucard]

Two. I feel dodgy.

[A Gloomy Person]

2. Try to dodge the assault.

[semicasual]

3! Throw something!

[wonderandawe]

What's in our hands?

[semicasual]

What's in our hands?

A spear? A chair? A grenade? A plush toy? Your firstborn? Some pocket lint? Who cares!? THROW THAT ****!

[wonderandawe]

A spear? A chair? A grenade? A plush toy? Your firstborn? Some pocket lint? Who cares!? THROW THAT ****!

I vote monkey! Please let it be a monkey!

/ I should stop trolling the new quest threads.
//Also, I vote for throw something.

[LeTipex]

So, two votes for dodging, and two for throwing... Waiting on the deciding choice, and then I'll post the result.

What's in our hands?

Wouldn't you like to know. ^^

[The Unsung Hero]

Throwing is best thing

[LeTipex]

You throw the ball at the blue giant, catching him off-guard. The leather is heavy and damp, and the move unexpected enough that he looses his footing on the moving raft. He falls in the water with a massive splash, and you grab the ball once more, advancing towards the goal line under the cheers of the crowd watching from the white cliffs. With a lazy lob, you throw the ball again, and watch the other team fumble their defense. You can't help but give a cocky grin to your teamates. That's three point for scoring, and one for getting that big oaf in the sea. You don't see how you could loose this match.

You get back on your side of the raft, and Three Plums slaps your sun-burnt shoulder. "This was a great move, my friend! Keep it up!" You shake your head and nod, breathing deeply as you watch your surroundings.

The rules of Sike Telo :
Getting the ball out in the water throught the other team's goal line : 3 points for your team
Falling in the sea : 1 points for the ennemy team.
It is forbidden to step on the ennemy team's defense area.
It is forbidden to kick or punch an ennemy.
It is forbidden to keep an ennemy in the water.
Each match lasts seven minutes.

The raft rolls gently under you and your teamates. Out on the cliffs, you can feel the colorful crowd holding their collective breath. At your right, Three Plums is jumping up and down, his long bushy hair dripping with saltwater. He sees you looking at him and winks, a mischevious grin on his face. At your left, Joy is keeping her eyes on the small boat where the referee is standing, ready to throw the heavy ball back at the center of your raft, her expression set in her usual serious scowl. You know both of them don't have the same plan in mind, and that could spell disaster.

1. "Let's play it safe, alright? We focus on defense, and if there's an opening, we let Joy take it. I don't want a repeat of last year."!
2. "Plums, I'm counting on you to get the ball. I'll take the big blue guy, keep him occupied. Let's keep them on their toes."
3. "Joy, do try to relax once in a while... It's just a game. Let's keep it fun, otherwise what's the point?"

[wonderandawe]

"Joy, do try to relax once in a while... It's just a game. Let's keep it fun, otherwise what's the point?"

[semicasual]

"Joy, do try to relax once in a while... It's just a game. Let's keep it fun, otherwise what's the point?"

[TheCountAlucard]

As much as I like the attitude for 3 IRL, I suspect that these are adults playing a sport either professionally or as part of something, et cetera., so it's probably more than "just a game" to them. 2, I guess.

[Prometheus878]

As much as I like the attitude for 3 IRL, I suspect that these are adults playing a sport either professionally or as part of something, et cetera., so it's probably more than "just a game" to them. 2, I guess.

This is just like ōllamaliztli, I know it.

1. Play it safe.

[LeTipex]

So that's two votes for fun and games, and one for each of the other... Let's go with fun then.

"Fun? Should we stop the match and explain the concept to her first, then?" Three Plums grins at his own joke, boucing further from Joy to avoid any repercusions. Her eyes still on the ball, the powerful-looking lady waits a second before answering. "Fun is when the other team throws you into the water, Plums. That way I can't hear you anymore. But I'm afraid that would be counterproductive." You can't help but laugh at Three Plums' slackjawed expression as the referee shouts and throws the ball at the center of the board.

And the match is on. You feel the platform trembling under your feet, and run to intercept the ball. The woman facing you is faster. You hear the wet thump as the ball slams in her chest, and she turns around, fast a a snake, ready to throw it back towards her teamates.

Faster than you, yes. But not fast enough. You rush her, and the ball leaves her arms as you both tumble in the water. She curses, and you hear Three Plums wooping. There is a moment of grace as you both tumble throught the air, and then water. Cold, pure, clear water. Your eyes sting when you open them, and you taste salt on your lips as the sea embraces you. After the heat of the Resplendant Fire sun, that second of calm is like a balm on your bruises and your tired body.

You kick your legs, getting your head out of the liquid silence, and are greeted by a wall of noise. Three Plums is laughing as he and Joy move towards the goal line. You try to scream a warning, seing the blue giant move toward him, and he makes a wild pass before being thrown in the water too.

You grab the edge of the raft, pulling yourself on it as fast as you can to help Joy. You throw yourself in front of the blue man, and feel his massive hands grabbing your arms, ready to throw you back into the water. You're not going to last long wrestling against him. But it's enough to give Joy a clear shot. She throws the ball, hard and fast enough to make the last member of the opposing team wince, and once more the crowd roar in approval.

The referee shouts, and you stumble on the wooden platform as the man lets you go.

"Having fun yet?" Joy shouts in your general direction. You raise a noncommittal shoulder, as Three Plums gets back on the platform, eyes red with salt.

"Well, we still scored, didn't we?"

The rest of the match is a blur, and it seems like only a few moments before you hear the trumpet signaling your win. There is a roar from the shore, and you embrace the members of the loosing team in the traditionnal way before plunging in the water.

You swim the few dozen meters separating you from the shore, feeling your body protest all the way. You remember your father's sing-songy saying "Sike Telo is fun for the spirit but harsh for the shell" as you drag yourself on the warm rocks. You don't usually think of yourself as old, but right now, you know what the aging man feels when he complains about his sore muscles.You shake your head, getting the saltwater out of your ears. Somebody hands you a bucket of sweet water, and you thank them before pouring it over your head to wash off the salt. Before you have a chance to dry, you find a bowl of dark, almost purple wine pushed into your hand, and people start congratulating you and the rest of your team. Everywhere, people are smiling, joking together, relaxing in the sun or under the shade of colorful umbrellas. Young and old, rich and poor, all resting on the rocks and eating in the sunlight. Soon the real matches will start, pitting the powerful teams sponsored by the nobles of the city and the neighbhouring villages against each other, and both locals and visitors are thirsting for the spectacle to come.

It is the second day of the High Summer Festival, and the city is bursting with people : out in the bay, ships from all over the inland sea are resting, bobbing with the shallow waves, the white sails of the jangadas used by the local fishermen surrounding the colorful riggings of southern junks and Realm ships. Every year, the three days of revel and games draw people from all over the coast, nearly doubling the population of Delibes.

You take a sip from your bowl, enjoying the rich taste of wine and pomegranates. You are about to close your eyes to concentrate on the flavor when a massive hand slaps you on the back, making you wince. The blue giant is standing next to you, a wide grin on his face. "This be the good match! Maybe the other time you-me play together, or what?" His voice is powerful and deep, and a few people turn their heads around to watch the massive stranger. His thick accent and broken grammar would betray him as a westerner if his looks didn't do such a good job of announcing it to the world on their own.

You nod, sitting on a outcroping of rock to watch the next match begin. "It would be my pleasure to play with you. Assuming you stay in the city, of course. What is your name, by the way?"

"The name be Makai. Means... Black fish? Big fish, with the teeth?"

"You mean shark?"

"Yes, that! Makai means Black Shark. And you?"

That IS a very good question! Who are you?

1. You are Zhan, the leader of a small troup of local mercenaries.
2. You are Smiling Pebble, the daughter of a minor Deliben merchant-lord.
3. You are Sitelen, a civil officier working in the Palace.