Dungeon of Solomon

[LunarLavendula]

The Dungeon of Solomon was a spectacle known far and wide. Thousands upon thousands would gather in the stands, to observe as the contestants were let out into the dungeon – most to meet their doom. Traps, magic, deception and monsters abounded in its dark corridors. The dungeon burrowed deeper and deeper into the earth, and the further down it went, the more dangerous it was. It was as old as time, they said, for no one could remember when it was built.

No one had ever survived. No one had ever won.

It was a simple task – at the very bottom of this dungeon was an orb to be returned. Bring it back to the surface, and you were rich and famous beyond your wildest dreams. An island in your honour to rule, they said, so great was the task to overcome.

No one knew how powerful the Orb really was. Why it had been protected so well. How would the contestants possibly know, if they won, that they were sowing the seeds of destruction should they bring it home?

Please provide your appearance, name, race and title in your first post.
Everyone may control the Narrator.​

 

[LunarLavendula]

Mia • Wraith • "The White Slash"​

Mia could hear the roar of the audience from behind her door. She knew beyond here was the entrance to the dungeon. All the contestants would be locked in their tiny rooms, behind gates like this, prepared for battle. Some of them would be hardened warriors, prepared for blood and war, who would stop at nothing to claim their prize and kill all who got in their way.

Then there was Mia. She knew better. Honestly, she didn't know if she could win – no one ever had – but she did plan to survive. That, she was very good at.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, folks from far and wide, welcome… to the Dungeon of SOLOMON!" the narrator's voice cut through her concentration. Magicked, of course. To be heard from anywhere.

The crowd would be able to see their every move. Mi shuddered at the thought.

"As you are well aware, today is the day of the eclipse! When the sun cannot be seen, the entrance to the Dungeon of Solomon will open, and the games will begin. Are you ready?!" Cheers, screams, laughter. Mia took a deep breathe.

The gate before her groaned and lifted, light pouring into her tiny holding, spilling over her feet and up her legs. She would see the faces of the other challengers before the game started.

 

[Banana-senpai]

Helka Storm-Walker, Adventurer
​

Adventure comes with danger, but to Helka they're two coats of the same thing. She had always liked going places, learning things and meeting people. When her mother fell into a deep and inexplicable sleep that even her high mage elder brother could not cure, she knew the next time she left the house, it was for her mother. She never told her family about what she planned to do, but when she heard of the Orb in the Dungeon of Solomon she immediately associated it with a cure. In truth, Helka understood nothing of magic unlike her brother who is a known prodigy and her younger sisters who used it for specific purposes, but Helka knew an Orb that was so important should be able to help, or be traded in for something that would.

When the gates were raised, the first fellow contender that caught her eye was a silvery white figure of a woman. Helka looked at her in awe. Her brother would know who or what that was, but Helka could only gaze in curious fascination. Then she remembered what she was there for, what probably all of them were there for.

Helka wished she wouldn't have to kill any of them, specially that woman.
​

 

[Huntress]

Anastasia 'Anna' Kestner
† Berserker † Werewolf †
​

The calls of the people beyond the gates were loud, too loud for comfort. Anna had her reasons for coming to this place, entering this competition. She knew no one here and she had entered on her own accord. Of course she had her reasons but no one could be trusted at this point. Lifting her blade she rested it on her shoulder with a clank of metal on metal. Slowly she stepped out, ducking under the still rising gate as she grew eager. The thought of shedding blood excited her. The competition was still young, she didn't know who deserved to live and who should die.

...In time...

Continuing forward Anastasia began making her way through the central path, senses alert as she analyzed her surroundings. She was preparing herself for what could come...​

 

[Assallya]

Assallya Kressair huddled in her small wooden cell. At least, that's what she called it. It didn't quite resemble a cell. No. Come to think of it, it rather resembled a wooden coffin. That was a most irksome thought and made the walls of the small enclosure loom even tighter around her as if mocking her.

Unlike most of those present, Assallya hadn't wanted anything to do with the Dungeon of Solomon. She was a slave, a favored and pampered slave but she'd overstepped her bounds. After fifty years as a slave and her master's personal spy and sorceress, she'd had enough and tried to turn the heir of the estate against his own father. It was a good plan. It had even worked. What she hadn't expected was the son, after murdering his own father, feeling remorse. He simply lacked the ambition that so many young noble sons possessed and wasted a good chunk of their fortune having him returned to the world of the living. Worse, her master and patron remembered every bit of her standing over him, mocking him as he lay poisoned.

That's when it all went to hell. She attempted to run but didn't get far and now she was here- a gift for the people of the city. He could have sold her, tried to recoup his losses but he had other ideas. He had, with great relish, stated that he would enjoy watching her die. He fully expected she wouldn't last until the first set of stairs.

Finally the gate opened and the elven dancing girl stepped out. It took nearly all her waning strength to step out boldly into the light with her head held defiantly high but any within a few paces would see the tightness around her kohl lined eyes and the tautness of her lips. Outside here eyes were greeted by what appeared to be two warriors, a pair of barbarians of some sort and a lady in white, some sort of noble or possibly another sorceress?

OOC: Am I correct in that, somehow, the populace of the town is somehow watching the travails of these poor beleaguered heroes? Is it in some sort of smoke coming up from a bonfire, are they gathered around a massive pool sized scrying bowl with seats surrounding it like the Colloseum or some other means?

 

[Jeanvieve]

AYO
Huntress, Princess
​

Ayo stepped slowly out into the pool of light as the gate ground to a halt above. Her bare wide feet dug deep into the pebbled floor of he dungeon, her senses on high. Across the way she saw the faces of the other contenders. Some looked more fearsome than others. Oddly, they were all women. Or seemed to be. Some were clad in armor which obscured a clear view of their figure. Ayo gripped her blade gingerly, not knowing what to expect from anyone or what would come next. She knew her father's training would not fail her. It is for her father she fights, to please him and bring his kingdom glory. Obtaining this orb will help spread the reign of Khali the Great. So long as she had earth beneath her feet and her blade, she would fight fearlessly for her father's glory. ​

​

 

[LunarLavendula]

Mia looked up, her eyes meeting the women of the gate far opposite her. Mia was expecting blood thirst, or hatred, but what she saw was… curiosity.

Mia blinked. She smiled tentatively. Maybe she wasn't the only one who knew better than to make enemies straight away. After all, no one had ever survived. It was foolish to assume she could make it to the bottom of the dungeon on her own. But maybe…

Above the moon drifted over the sun. As if mirroring the heavens, large stone slabs began to shake and groan in the floor in front of them. The rocks pulled back to reveal a staircase, descending into darkness.

As the moon cast it's shadow, so the entrance was revealed.

Mia took a sharp breathe, feeling the air shimmer around her, doing what came naturally to her. She felt the unseen world around her, as familiar as the breath of a lover at her neck. She was ready. Her feet itched to move.

"GO!" boomed the narrator, and Mia was a blur of white across the grounds, barely a blink and she was down the staircase.

"Mia of the Ether Gate has entered the Dungeon of Solomon!"

(OOC: yup, they are being watched by the audience. It would depend on their location what they're using, but basically the event is being "televised" sort of. On deeper floors the magic isn't as strong, but right now, everything they do is seen and heard.)

 

[Banana-senpai]

​

When their supposed "stage" was revealed and the rest came to full view, Helka looked up instinctively, taking in her surroundings. Suddenly she didn't want to do this. She would much rather be home with her siblings. But she remembered her mother. It wasn't that she was too anxious or that she had regrets but it was because she would want to see them again and say appropriate goodbyes instead of pretending she's sure she'll be back.

Helka's eyes descended into the darkness beyond the staircase.

She walked over, one step at a time, not caring to hurry much since her armor would simply tire her out. She wondered what kind of people they were. The mysterious woman clad in moonlight. The fiery haired sword maid. The voluptuous dancer. The beautiful tribe princess. Helka wondered at what point they would fight each other.

It was not so much the shadow that made Helka wary once she was enveloped in it. It was not even the sounds she trained in caves to learn to identify.

It was the scent. It was seemingly a place that lived to be dead. She went on, letting herself sing a little lullaby as she readied her sword. She continued to guide herself, hoping not to kill anyone too early.

 

[Crono]

(From left to right)
Malcan and Mali
(Half-orc Barbarian) (Human Ranger)
"Team Kickass"​

Malcan and Mali stood triumphantly over the orb. The trip here had been easy, all they had to kill was like five dragons and a demon prince. Malcan grabbed the glowing orb and suddenly... Confetti rained from the sky, springs of liquid gold erupted from the Earth, and half-orcish women fed him grapes. Suddenly a loud and familiar voice boomed, causing the world to fade and crumble around him.

"MALCAN YOU RETARD, WAKE UP!"

Mali kicked the dreaming half-orc's head and he drowsily awoke. She let out a aggravated sigh and got off the bench in their cell. "The door is open moron, let's go." "Ok," her companion grunted in reply, grabbed his great axe 'Goldy', and, still laying down, rolled out the cell then down the stairs. Mali was examining the competition when she noticed her partner once again erasing whatever respect they could possibly been given. "Wait up you dumb brute!" She called, hurrying down the stone steps.

Malcan stopped at Mia's feet and stood up, followed by Mali who smacked him in the back of his head. "Maclan, I love ya buddy, but why do you have to be so stupid?" She shook her head, then ducked. The loud voice of the narrator yelling, "Malcan and Mali of Team Kickass Have entered the Dungeon of Solomon!" scared Malcan causing him to swing his axe wildly. "EVIL MAGIC VOICE!" "Calm down Malcan, it's just the narrator." "Ok."

 

[Assallya]

Assallya didn't quite understand the need to hurry. Hurrying would only result in triggering some trap, blundering into some monster's lair or otherwise putting one into needless danger. After all, it wasn't really a race. Not in the traditional sense. If one were to proceed based on the odds the chances of two people surviving in order to contest against the orb were minimal. No, better to allow the others to race forwards and trigger all the traps, find themselves wounded and then Assallya could traipse through behind them. Then there was also the fact she simply despised running. It was so undignified, the thing that commoners did. Even though Assallya was never technically a noble she'd lived the life of one.

Walking slowly, assuming a proper dignified walk she waved up at those gathered on either side of the entry to the dungeons. These were all of noble birth, the gentry and the wealthy merchants that wanted to see the contestants in person rather than rely on magical tricks. She waved back at them and ignored several of the rather lurid comments that some hurled from their mouths like stones from a sling. When she returned with the orb and had an island to rule she'd build that fortune into an empire and crush these people before burying the mouth of this atrocious dungeon forever.

While she walked, a half orc barbarian rushed past, eager to descend into the darkness and the herald announced his entry. Then his companion followed, nearly treading upon his heels.

"Seriously 'Team Kickass'?" Assallya reiterated, finding the name rather distasteful.

"Hey there whore!"

It was, of course, her master's son. Her master, who she supposedly was securing the orb for, sat quietly behind the young man. He watched silently, enjoying every moment but said nothing. Not that she would secure the orb for them. If the orb had any power at all the first thing she'd use it for was to wipe him from existence.

"I hope some creature uses your skull as a bedpan for what you did to us!"

What she did? All she did was talk him into allowing her father's murder. True she'd mixed the poison herself, delivered it and accomplished the deed but she'd done so with his blessing.

"Assallya the Dancer," the announcer's voice boomed as her bare foot caressed the first step on the staircase leading down, "has entered the Dungeon of Solomon. A virtual non-combatant, the dancer has never seen a battle. She's definitely our current favorite for a quick and early death. Place your bets now on what is likely a sure thing!"

Wanting to get away from that infernal voice and the laughter that followed, Assallya quickened her pace, descending into the darkness. She was seething with anger but was struggling to control it. Anger wouldn't help here. It would only serve to get her killed. What she really needed to do was make an alliance. She had a few tricks, a fair bit of magic, and a great deal of knowledge but she knew her capabilities in combat were limited.

 

[Jeanvieve]

AYO
Huntress, Princess
​

"Princess Ayo, the Huntress has decended into the Dungeon of Solomon!"

Ayo raised her blade to acknowledge her father in the high stands Flanked by soldiers and his travelling companions, he sat on a lush raised cushioned chair. His hands steepled at his lips, an expression of blank calm, he nodded his head in blessing to her quest.

She began descending the staircase. She resisted the feelings of fear trying to well up inside her. She longed for the comfort of her best friend Zaki, her lion. He would have given her the extra courage to delve deeper into the darkness the lay ahead. Her father insisted this be own tryst, she alone could bring him honor as his only heir. She joined the rest of the women as the stone opening above them began to groan and move once again. Would they be closed inside....? He heart began to race, but she dare not show her faltering heart. She knew the magic would allow her father to see her every expression. It was important he remained certain of her success. Lest her mother be turned away, and he seek a new Queen for a new heir....

Ayo's advanced hunting senses helped her to 'see' many miles ahead of her. Her hearing could sense the smallest of sounds and her sense of smell could identify and creature that walked the plains of the South. But this dank cold cave was far from the sun streaked savannas of her home.

She noticed the dancer girl and took note of the announcer's jests. Immediately, she knew there was more to this woman that most could see at first glance...​

 

[Huntress]

Like the rest Anastasia descended into the darkened area beyond the slab of stone that eventually slammed shut. She glanced over her shoulder as she heard the voice from outside mention something about being locked in. Her vision was beginning to adjust to the darkness. Sliding her blade into it's sheath, on her back, she stood for a few moments, listening, trying to understand what could potentially lay ahead. All she could hear was the thudding of each individuals heart, their slow breaths. It all echoed and bounced off the old, crumbling, stone walls.

A distant hissing brought Anna's gaze straight, she could not see where the sound was coming but there were small sudden pops along the way. She watched as flickers of light began from the end of the corridor. The hissing grew louder as the pops turned into loud whooshing sounds. Their path was soon lit by a series of lanterns that clung to the ceiling above. Anastasia looked around curiously. The light seemed to reflect off some oddly placed spheres. She raised a brow as she brought her gaze back to the center of the corridor. An unnatural shimmer rippled in her gaze, a flash of ferocity.

"Oooh, well it seems something is brewing within our contestant. Will she lead the pack or stay behind, tail tucked between her legs?" The narrator chuckled, adding his piece to the silence that only seemed to grow thicker amongst the contestants.

Anna glared at the shimmering orb that was in the closest right corner. Her jaw was tightly clenched. Being cursed was not something Anastasia wished to advertise. Her people were already on the black list in most areas of the world, she didn't need her 'condition' to be public knowledge. The last thing she needed was for everyone to turn on her because of what she was. Anna was playing it safe and she would continue to do so until it was absolutely necessary for her to step up. She carried on from the back of the group.

 

[Penelope Sky]

Marcellus Mossmire
Quarter-Elf, Thief/Archer
​

[BCOLOR=transparent]Marcellus Mossmire, a gangly boy of just under 22, had never been the type to traverse unknown places without even the slightest inkling of a plan, but keeping in mind the eternal mystery of what lies in the bowels of Solomon's Dungeon, there wasn't a shred of a plan to be found. There was also no fear within the walls of a thousand year old tomb when many capable warriors line the halls - in fact, it could give him someone to hide behind - but Marcellus hadn't the smallest of affinity for what lies in the realms of secrecy, especially without a scheme as vital as the one that could help him now. [/BCOLOR]

​

[BCOLOR=transparent]Delaying his entrance to the crypt was only making him warier, so he took a tentative step inside ("Marcellus Mossmire has entered the Dungeon of Solomon!") before the slab came crashing to a halt, stone slamming stone and locking them in for what could be a merciless eternity. Amber eyes closed, the thief winced in response.[/BCOLOR]

​

[BCOLOR=transparent]Was it really worth the fame and fortune, he had asked himself, to risk his life inside what could be his last inhibition from seeing the light of day? No, not my last inhibitor, he would reply internally. There was this, or the Lord's Justice, and the Lord's Justice was not something to be trifled with.[/BCOLOR]

​

[BCOLOR=transparent]He wanted to sneak through it, going unknown from the rest of the group, but he knew that their friendly neighborhood narrator wouldn't be so kind. He already announced his entrance, and with a name not as feminine as the rest of the all-girl party, he was sure to attract attention.[/BCOLOR]

​

[BCOLOR=transparent]Darkness shrouded him until a dozen or so overhead lanterns glowed abruptly above, illuminating the once pitch black caverns of Solomon's Dungeon. Marcellus, in his days, had traveled through enough ruins with the company of his late adventuring partner, but this hardly looked like any crypts he came by in his finite days of world-seeing. This could belong in a castle, he noted, a fine castle belonging to a witch or a sorceress, with stone walls and iron lanterns and the most peculiar cerulean spheres, two dancing tauntingly in his periphery and the rest shining brightly in front. [/BCOLOR]

​

[BCOLOR=transparent]What was the point of this? he wondered. Some elaborate puzzle waiting to be solved at the end of the dungeon? Was it necessary to collect them, to place his hands on each one? In a normal circumstance, surrounded by normal people who could be trusted with at least the continuance of his existence for minimally the next hour, he would bring these mysterious orbs to the party's attention, calling forth what could possibly be their use. [/BCOLOR]

​

[BCOLOR=transparent]But this time, Marcellus noted, things were different than when he conquered the land with his lost love. No one was trustworthy; everyone had their own agenda. And if he brought himself to their attention this early in the game… he would be dead sooner than he could take a single breath. If that.[/BCOLOR]

​

[BCOLOR=transparent]He would skulk quietly, he decided, behind the rest of the group, and count the blue spheres whenever he saw them - four so far - and branch off from the others when the coast was clear, when he was certain the announcer wouldn't take note of his disappearance. There had to be a way to cheat the system, he reckoned, but his master plan would have to wait silently and schemingly for another day.[/BCOLOR]

​

[BCOLOR=transparent]His life depended on it.[/BCOLOR]

​

 

[LunarLavendula]

Mia brushed around a nearby corner and stood in the shadows, a good enough hiding place for the moment, even though she was white as a ghoul. She flickered between this world and the next as she stood in the gloom. Her ability to melt into the other world at will gave her speed in battle – time worked differently in that realm – and she could travel to places that were otherwise difficult to reach, making her an excellent scout. The wraith was relieved to find that, as she stood on the brink between two worlds, no souls of the dead wandered the corridor in her immediate vicinity. Although perhaps they had dispersed in the time between now and the last eclipse. Mia had no doubt there would be all sorts of dark creatures deeper down. She shuddered at that.

Such thoughts were no use for her now though and she turned her attention to the other contestants that entered. The girl with the curious eyes was venturing forward unabashed, humming a soft lullaby. Mia smiled at that – a sign of humanity if ever she heard one. A possible contender for an alliance, she hoped.

Two companions traipsed down the staircase next, and Mia ducked behind her corner, stifling a giggle at their antics. She guessed the human was the brains of the operation, but daren't not reveal herself yet in case they were of a competitive nature.

A slave girl? A noble? A powerful sorceress descended the staircase with all the poise of royalty. The narrator's voice cut through the quiet of the dungeon – wow, a dancer? What reason did she have to seek the orb?

The huntress, next, her survival skills would no doubt serve her well in these unforgiving depths. A powerful ally, no doubt, though Mia wandered at her exotic nature. She had clearly travelled far to challenge the dungeon.

The women clad in hide and metal that entered next walked with a strength of purpose that the other contestants lacked. Mia wasn't one to bet, but she was sure this lady had good chances. The doorway slammed shut and with a hiss, the shadows that concealed her were banished by the lanterns above. Oh well, thought Mia, as she shuffled away from the gloom. It hadn't been the best of hiding places for her, anyway, given what she was. Mia noted the narrator introducing one more contestant, but she couldn't see well from where she was enough to get an inkling about his skillset.

The way before them was a T junction, three corridors branching off from the point of the staircase. The way directly forward was the best lit, while the corridor to the left looked run in and covered with rubble in places. The corridor to their right seemed nice enough, though to a sensitive nose the smell of decay and rot drifted through that stagnant hallway.

 

[Jeanvieve]

AYO
Huntress, Princess
​

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Nobles and Commoners, what will our collection of adventurers do now? They have a choice before them!"

Deeply annoyed with the constant hovering voice of the announcer, Ayo decided to make the first move to form an alliance.

"Alright, it seems no one is willing to break this impenetrable silence, so I will speak first. My name is Ayo, the princess of the kingdom of Khali the Great. I seek the orb to bring my father glory. I am a great huntress, with many skills to contribute to an alliance. If you be wise, you'll consider an arrangement. I am willing to fight along side you in order to get to our shared goal. Please speak your strengths and if you will join me."

There was silence.

"I can already tell you, this is the correct path..." she noted simply. "What say you?"​

 

[Huntress]

Anna simply turned her head to listen to the exotic looking woman. The red haired female scoffed and shook her head. "Perhaps revealing things about ones self isn't the best. Enemies can be created much faster this way. Not everyone here is a noble, aristocrat or royalty." The tall woman spoke simply. The slightest accent adorning her words, a possible give away of her origins to those well versed in the vast cultures and countries of this world. Although forming an alliance with the other contestants seemed like a smart way to get through most of the dungeon, what would happen when they reached the orb? A battle of great bloodshed. The thought excited Anastasia, an uncomfortable shiver running down her spine. This was the flaw with forming an alliance. Everyone had their reasons to obtain the orb and although some might be more selfish than others, it is what it would come to.

Clenching her jaw Anna walked through the group, approaching the area that split into three sections she analyzed. The well lit path ahead, the obvious choice, was probably riddled with traps hidden in the safety of a brightly lit hall. To the left, the destroyed path, in Anna's eyes, that meant something had happened to cause the corridor to crumble, perhaps a larger trap from the last round of the game. What lay beyond was unknown. Her gaze shifted to the wretched smelling hallway. The reason for it could be a fresh victim decomposing or possibly a room filled with corpses, the stench was heavy and foul, whatever it was, death was most likely awaiting it's next set of victims.

The muscle in her jaw flexed, the decision would be difficult to make and it was only the first one. Her eye caught a glimpse of pale skin. Looking at the woman Anastasia raised a brow. Something felt familiar about her but she could not place it just yet, perhaps in time. Looking back to the crumbled hall, the berserker found herself leaning towards that path. Before she carried on she was curious to see what the others would say to the offer the exotic princess had made.

 

[Justin]

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Balaemon "Bale" Valgaris | Human/Fae | "Shadow Assassin/Freer Of Slaves/Chosen One/King Of The Swamp Dwellers/Protector Of Many/Killer Of Few |
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦​

Bale had been watching from the shadows, as everything went on around him. He was better at analyzing people from a far, then he would make his judgement. He respected the Princess, she didn't take anytime to show she would be loyal. In this place you needed loyalty. Bale stepped out from the shadows.
The Narrator, whom ever they were, had cleared their throat and started to introduce Bale. "Balaemon Valgaris-"Shadow Assassin/Freer Of Slaves/Chosen One/King Of The Swamp Dwellers/Protector Of Many/Killer Of Few", has graced us all with his presence." Bale proudly waved at the men and women watching them all. It took a lot of work and bravery for Bale to earn all of his titles and everyone's respect, but he did it.
After waving to everyone and smiling, he turned towards the Princess, Ayo. Bale had never seen a woman as beautiful as her, he lived in another world where women would throw themselves at him. He could see she was powerful and he wanted...no needed her as his ally.
"As you can tell by my introduction, I will be a formative ally. If you'll have me, that is." He bowed to her, taking her hand and smiling. It was a custom in his Kingdom to always bow to a woman of royal standing, no matter where they were from.​

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​

 

[Crono]

Hearing the echo of the elvish woman's complaint, Mali turned to her and stated in a slightly annoyed tone, "there's two males on the team and we took a vote." It looked like everyone was getting all friendly, so many people... She suffered from demophobia and these close quarters with tons of people made her nervous. She snaked her way through the crowd to the slightly ruined path and signaled for Malcan to follow. "Look, we just lost a bet, that's why were down here. Follow us if you like, you got a better reason to have the orb we can talk it out when we get there." She said to the crowd.

Malcan found it harder to slip through the large group. Half way he gave up and found pushing through them easier. He bumped into Bale in such a way that his gentlemanly bow would turn into a fall onto his face. "Sorry," he grumbled, and continued pressing on. When he finally reached Mali her head was in her hand and she was swearing repetitively under her breath. The back of his head stung after being smacked so hard he nearly fell over.

 

[Penelope Sky]

Marcellus Mossmire
Quarter Elf, Thief/Archer
​

Marcellus had met many idiots in his years, but he had never seen so many of them all in one place.

First, there was this Savannah Princess safari-looking girl with dark, wild hair that seemed to glow orange under the lantern light. Marcellus had been around honorable people, but the ones he allied closely with were just as shrewd as him when it came to thinking smart. The red-head was right: all that information, spread to all those people, all clumped together like this... it was beyond dangerous, especially since the girl came from nobility. Marcellus figured, if his analytical skills were correct, most of the ladies here were not born of high-ranking, and would not take kindly to a rich girl out to 'bring her father glory' when so many of them were risking their lives for more practical purposes. When it came to Marcellus, it was either the treachery of Solomon's Dungeon, or he was bound for the block.

Even worse, there was her knight and shining armor - Lord Haybale, or whatever the announcer had called him - with his thousands of titles and an arrogance about him that sent pangs of annoyance down his spine much like the chill of death that hung ominously in the air around them. The narrator man had said the dancer would die first, but if Marcellus could help it, dual-wielding-assassin-boy here would go long before that.

There was a chance he could slip off soon, Marcellus decided. At the moment, he leaned against a stone wall concealed by shadow, one leg crossed over the other as he counted the stones in the path in front of him. There were six orbs in all, with 14 lanterns so far, and when it came to the hall-flooring, some of the tiles were dark grey, while others appeared to be almost an endless ebony. The black ones, he noted, would be the ones he would count, whether to solve an end-game puzzle at the finish line or at least keep him occupied while the children chose their ranks.

Maybe a fight would break out soon, he decided. The so obviously mentally inclined (yeah, right) members of Team Kickass seemed to be forging their own path, which he would gladly follow if enough people decided to go before him, but more importantly, that meant that individuals would be forced to choose sides. And, this early in the game, high tensions could allow for some quick elimination of the competition, and grace him with a swift and simple chance to shoot an arrow straight through Haybale's chest.

All he had to do was count, and wait.​

 

[Assallya]

Walking slowly, Assallya soon found herself at the back of the group. As she'd thought to herself before entering the Dungeon of Solomon, she revisited the idea of letting others trigger any traps that lay ahead or be ambushed by waiting goblins or whatever. Which brought to mind the strange question. How where the creatures down here alive? She could only assume some force, perhaps the orb itself, perhaps it's protector must do something to cultivate the creatures within and reset traps. Otherwise, after several centuries of these events there would be no traps left to trigger.

Assallya found herself wishing for a weapon. It was an act of some cruelty that her master had left her all of her jewelry but refused to allow her a weapon with which to defend herself. Not that she'd be any good with a dagger in her hand but there was something to be said for the comfort of cold steel in hand and the ability to at least act like she knew how to use it. Her master had insisted that she be entered without one. Worse still, how would it look if she asked everyone if they had a spare blade? They'd scoff and laugh. No, better to pretend she was perfectly comfortable without.

She needed an ally. Unlike the others she wouldn't survive without a good strong sword arm raised in her defense. Normally she'd latch on to the most princely, honourable warrior in the group. There, unfortunately, wasn't anyone of that description present to take advantage of. Of course, the drawback to that was the moment they reached the orb she'd probably be executed. No, better, she thought, to follow discreetly, keeping to the shadows and see which of the group were trustworthy. Then she could betray that person just before reaching the orb.