Exam: Chamber 2 (RP)

Walking through the door in the force-field (how do they even do that?) you find...

... a crisp cool breeze on your face that makes your cheeks grow pink (for those of you with that ability). There is snow on the distant mountains surrounding the tree-lined glade.

Off behind you and to one side you see five people seated at a gingham covered table. They are each holding up a card to the rather large group of spectators who make appreciative noise. (Did you know you would be watched by the public? Does finding them here, so close and in such numbers, result in any stage-fright or anxiety?) Not bothering to show you what is on them they return their cards to the stacks in front of them, but you catch a glimpse of one and it appears to be a single large red letter or number.

Over the noise of the crowd cheering (at least they seem happy) you hear one of the judges say to her neighbour: "Not a very impressive spread." and the reply: "Yes. Too much garnish, not enough substance." But they have not told you to stop and seem content to let you continue.

---

The clearing you are in is surrounded by trees, but you have no indication as to what you need to do. Do you need to stay within sight of the audience (you have heard a 'tournament of three wizards' that had an underwater challenge and a challenge inside a maze, where the audience just waited outside, unable to see anything that was going on, surely no one would actually arrange a thing like that?).

What do you think you need to do?
What do you do?

- Abby -

The trees and grass are real... or mostly... some of them...

The mountains and the fresh cool breeze is not, you get the impression those are there to provide air-conditioning for the spectators.

There are large and small stones scattered every few meters around the area, some flush with the ground, some ankle or knee height, some shoulder or head height and some twice that. There is little more 'really nature' than 'stones', but something about these makes your nature senses... sad? You will have to get right up close to them to be able to tell which are suspect though.

What do you do?

- Hooligander -

After a few paces --less than half-way to the nearest suspect-rock-- something in the grass snags your foot and you hear a sound like a guitar string being stretched followed by a snap followed by a rumbling sound followed by the ground beneath your feet falling away, as you look down and see the gaping maw of a pit, a dull red glow emanating from inside.

Your stomach lurches as you begin to fall.

What do you do?

The judges look mildly impressed, and fortunately do not notice when one small boy in the audience protests: "But that big lady just picked him up! I want to see magic!"

- Ari -

The boy whoops in delight and starts to eat the snow. There is a general muttering of approval from the audience. The danger now is that you might have turned this into an interactive experience. Too many 'stage magician tricks' and you may blow your cover, so an attentive audience is an extra risk you need to balance. At least they are on you side.