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| | | Treasure Hunt - Serenity Newman |  |
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The Administrator
Posts : 1363
Join date : 2015-12-20
| | Subject: Re: Treasure Hunt - Serenity Newman Fri Jun 23, 2017 4:17 am | |
| 12a
You decide to investigate the stump. The label on the jar says ‘Gillyweed’. As you near it, you take in the stump. It’s old, with moss growing at the side, and thick branches curled inwards. The jar sits in the middle of an opening of the trunk; it is just wide enough for your hand to reach inside and pull out the jar.
You take another step forward and at once the plant springs to life. The branches extend outwards, vines emerging from somewhere inside it. They are long and thin, covered in thorns, and wave around dangerously. You hesitate and realise that they aren’t reaching for you, and seem to be moving at random, protecting the jar. If you are fast enough, you could reach inside and grab it without getting hurt, or you could try and use a spell.
The other option you have is to ignore the plant altogether and opt for brewing the potion instead.
What do you do?
a) Get the jar of Gillyweed (write the successful obtaining of the jar to continue)
b) Go over to the potions table
(OOC: At the end of your post, please make your choice clear by writing it in another colour, or bolded.)
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| | Subject: Re: Treasure Hunt - Serenity Newman Fri Jun 23, 2017 4:34 am | |
| As she got closer, she could make out the alphabets on the label, and almost kicked herself. Of course! It was Gillyweed; how did she not place it earlier? It wasn't as if she didn't know what it was. Stepping forward, she was about to reach for it when she stopped suddenly, remembering her earlier warning to herself to not trust the stump.
She took a step back, and studied it. There wasn't anything really interesting about it, but she was already processing the information. Old stump. Greenhouse. Dark area... There was more to it than just a stump, she was sure. What was it she read in a textbook a while back? Something that started with an 's'... Snuggle... snugal... Snargal? And didn't the last part sound like a house? Snargal..ryn? No, that wasn't right. "Snargalpuff?" she tried, aloud, then shook her head; that didn't sound right, either. But whatever the name was, she was half-sure that she was looking at one.
There was only one way to test her theory, and she stepped forward. Immediately, the stump uncurled itself, branches reaching out towards her. She nodded once to herself. Her textbook -- a sixth year one she borrowed from a housemate once when she was bored with nothing to do -- Serenity tried to recall what it had said. Wasn't there something about doing it best in pairs?
Cautiously, she eyed the thing. Perhaps this was a smaller one, that was less dangerous. But there was still the problem of the vines... She had long-sleeves on -- as always, to hide her arms -- and it wasn't as though she was opposed to pain, but if the plant tore up her sleeves, her arm might be exposed and... She frowned. It was only then that she realised her wand was still in her hand, and she almost rolled her eyes. How dumb was she?
"Immobulus," she said, firmly. The plant froze at once, and, muttering an apology, Serenity stepped forward, retrieved the jar, and stepped back before unfreezing the Snar-whatever-puff.
Choice: a) |
| | | | The Administrator
Posts : 1363
Join date : 2015-12-20
| | Subject: Re: Treasure Hunt - Serenity Newman Fri Jun 23, 2017 4:35 am | |
| 13b
You manage to get the jar from the stump successfully. Taking it with you, you leave the hall through the door, making your way down to the Black Lake. Reaching the shore you look around and notice there is a sign post that has never been there before. Beneath it is a locked box. The sign post explains that the box is magically locked and can only be opened with the key -- which is located somewhere in the marked out section of the lake.
It goes on to tell you that there are three areas for you to explore. The first is the kelp forest. The second is a rock pile. The third is a small cave. It ends with wishing you luck and adds that if you run into trouble to shoot red sparks from your wand; the merpeople on standby will assist you.
You eat the Gillyweed just before you enter the water. You feel the gills grow and you plunge into the lake and find you can breathe without issues. You start to swim downwards, and soon find yourself facing the decision of which area to search first.
Where do you go?
a) The kelp forest
b) The rock pile
c) The small cave
(OOC: At the end of your post, please make your choice clear by writing it in another colour, or bolded.)
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Guest
| | Subject: Re: Treasure Hunt - Serenity Newman Fri Jun 23, 2017 6:14 am | |
| Jar under one arm, Serenity walked over to the door and left, finding herself now outside the greenhouses. Following the path, she made her way to the Black Lake, Tammie right beside her as always. Instead of heading to her normal position in a small clearing beside it, she went to the main section, and noticed the sign post as she neared.
Approaching it, she took in the sign and the box underneath with a frown. The lake was huge! How was she to find one small key in all of that? As she kept reading, however, she smiled. That made it easier.
Reading it a few times to commit it to memory, she made sure she knew what she was going to do before opening the jar. Making a face, she forced herself to pick out and chew one of the pieces of Gillyweed inside, fighting against her refelx to gag. It tasted awful, but she could feel it working at once. Hurrying to the edge of the lake, she dove in headfirst, breathing in deeply as soon as her head was underwater, testing out the gills.
This was something she wanted to do for a very, very long time, but hadn't had the opportunity to try. She heard a second splash, and turned to see Tammie following her. How the house elf was able to do it, she didn't know; she'd ask later.
Instead, she spent a few moments just testing out the extent of the gillyweed, turning around underwater and seeing how far she could push her body. A few minutes later, she finally turned her attention to her surroundings.
The kelp forest looked so large and so difficult to search, so she wrote that off. That left the cave and the rock pile. From where she was, the pile looked the smallest and easiest to search; so, without waiting any longer, she kicked towards it.
Choice: b) |
| | | | The Administrator
Posts : 1363
Join date : 2015-12-20
| | Subject: Re: Treasure Hunt - Serenity Newman Fri Jun 23, 2017 6:15 am | |
| 15a
The rock pile sounds promising and so you head off there first. Upon closer inspection you find that the rock pile is actually rather huge and contains many nooks and crannies. You come across many interesting things -- an old boot, a few galleons, a few sea snails, and other odds and ends. You sort through everything, poking into all the holes carefully. An eel slithers out and swims away without disturbing you.
It takes more time than you thought, but you search the pile thoroughly, making sure to get into each of the possible hiding place. Eventually, after finishing the search, you come up empty. The key must be hidden in one of the other two locations and you leave the pile behind to return to the start. The only options left are the cave and the kelp forest.
Where do you go?
a) The kelp forest
b) The small cave
(OOC: At the end of your post, please make your choice clear by writing it in another colour, or bolded.)
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Guest
| | Subject: Re: Treasure Hunt - Serenity Newman Fri Jun 23, 2017 8:44 am | |
| She realised her mistake as she reached it. A key hidden in such a vast area was not going to be easy to find, but having already made her decision, she saw no harm looking around. Digging through the pile, carefully and slowly, she pulled out numerous different things.
The boot she put back, knowing it could become a home for some creature; the galleons she pocketed; the sea snails she watched for a few moments; the twigs she put back; and the eel made her jerk back, but it passed by without so much as acknowledging her. Going back to the pile, she continued searching through it as thoroughly as she could, but found nothing.
With a soft sigh, she watched the bubbles float to the top before turning away and swimming back to the starting point. The kelp forest still seemed too vast, and that left only one other options; she turned towards the cave and started towards it, drawing her wand as she did in case the place was dark.
Choice: b) |
| | | | The Administrator
Posts : 1363
Join date : 2015-12-20
| | Subject: Re: Treasure Hunt - Serenity Newman Fri Jun 23, 2017 8:52 am | |
| 16b
Deciding to try the cave next, you swim towards it. It’s badly lit and small, and you take a moment to adjust to the light. Something glimmers at the very back. You just manage to make out the shape of a key hanging on the wall! It seems that the cave was the smart choice, and you move forward to take the key. Suddenly, something darts out from a small crevice hidden at the back.
It’s a small creature, green in colour, long tentacle like fingers moving around it. It’s a grindylow! It bears its teeth at you. The key seems to be under its protection. If you want it, you have to fight it. As you prepare to do so a second thought hits you -- you could always ask the merpeople for help.
What do you do?
a) Fight the creature yourself
b) Ask the merpeople for help
(OOC: At the end of your post, please make your choice clear by writing it in another colour, or bolded.)
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Guest
| | Subject: Re: Treasure Hunt - Serenity Newman Fri Jun 23, 2017 12:35 pm | |
| The cave was smarler than she expected, which was a good thing. The dim lighting took a moment to adjust to -- she didn't dare use her wand for light, in case there was something inside that was going to attack if they were disturbed -- but as soon as it did she looked around. At the very back, she could make out the shape of something small, refracting the small amount of light that entered. It was the key!
She swam forward at once, only to hesitate when something darted out.
She recognised the grindylow as soon as it was still enough for her to see. Her hand raised her wand a little, not wanting to hurt the creature but also knowing she wasn't going to get a chance to get the key unless it was out of the way. Still, the idea of having to fight anything made her feel uncomfortable; if it was self-defence it was one thing, but to willingly attack something else...
Unless... She let out a tiny gasp as she realised what she'd momentarily forgotten. Grindylows were sometimes kept as pets by merpeople -- the very ones she could call on for help! Hopefully they would be able to make the creature give her the key (or help her get it) without hurting it.
Raising her wand, she poured her will into the spell and watched the red sparks light up the water.
Choice: b) |
| | | | The Administrator
Posts : 1363
Join date : 2015-12-20
| | Subject: Re: Treasure Hunt - Serenity Newman Fri Jun 23, 2017 12:38 pm | |
| 18a You raise your wand and conjure up red sparks. Within seconds a merperson is by your side. You gesture towards the grindylow and explain that you just want the key. The merperson goes over to the grindylow and appears to talk to it for a few moments before petting it on its head; the grindylow swims off and the merperson takes the key and hands it to you before leaving.
You make your way out of the cave and back to the shore. Quickly, you unlock the box. Inside is your next clue.
Follow the path of life to find the shack in the middle of the forest.
You head into the forest, walking down the only path further into the thicket of trees. A few moments in, you find that the road splits into three. A signpost labels the paths with a mere picture; the one on the right is marked by a crude drawing of a flame, the one in the middle is marked by a drawing of a water droplet, and the one to the left is marked by a drawing of a leaf. Which path do you take?
a) The right one (marked by the drawing of a flame)
b) The middle one (marked by the drawing of a water droplet)
c) The left one (marked by the drawing of a leaf)
(OOC: At the end of your post, please make your choice clear by writing it in another colour, or bolded.) | |
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Guest
| | Subject: Re: Treasure Hunt - Serenity Newman Fri Jun 23, 2017 1:17 pm | |
| The red sparks lit up the water, and she barely had a chance to blink before a merperson is there. She smiled at him (her?) and pointed towards the Grindylow. "I need the key," she said, an apology in her tone. "I think he wants it, though." The merperson smiled at her in returned, nodded, and moved to the grindylow. She watched the exchange between them, and then broke into a wider smile as it left and the key was brought over.
"Thank you," she called out as he (she?) left.
Leaving the lake, she was just getting out as the effects of the gillyweed ended, and she moved to the box, unlocking it. The clue made no sense, but it pointed her in the direction of the forst, and so that was where she headed. For the first time, she would be allowed inside; it was not against the rules if it was part of the hunt.
There was only one path, so what did the clue mean? She turned it around in her mind as she walked until she saw the path split. Things became clear in that moment and she stopped short, staring at the pictures on the posts. A flame to the right, a water in the middle, and a leaf to the left.
Path of life.
She turned to Tammie. "I don't get it," she said, simply. There was a pause, during which Tammie just looked at her; Serenity knew her house-elf was not supposed to help, and she didn't expect help. She just always worked things out better aloud. "They all represent life."
She gestured to the leaf. "That's the most obvious. Spring is when things grow and that means new life, and a leaf is obviously something alive; we are surrounded by life now." She paused. "But water is important for life, too. If we don't drink, we die, and what helps plants grow? Water. What does the sea mean for fish? Life; without it, they die. Without water, we die. So that is also life."
Once more she stopped, turning to look at the last symbol, a frown touching her features. "And fire... Fire destroys. Fire hurts and causes pain -- but it's beautiful, and for the pheonix represents life. If there is no fire, it has no life. And heat... We need fire to live, too. To cook, for food, to keep warm..."
She lapsed into silence, then, thinking deeply.
On one hand the leaf seemed the most obvious answer; what screamed 'life' more than green vegetation? A green field, a green tree... That meant a place was thriving and full of life. Forests were green and those held the most types of living creatures, from plants to wildlife to insects.
But the water. Water was equally important to life. Without water, plants wouldn't surive. Did this therefore mean that it was more 'life' than the green leaf was, since the green leaf wouldn't have life without water?
And then there was the fire... If the water came into contact with fire, fire died. But fire could technically burn underwater, and volcanos formed islands, where life was then found -- and volcanos had lava, which was technically fire. Fire could destroy, yes, but it was also beautiful and helped create if used in the right way.
Minutes passed in silence as she debated it internally. Neither of these were life on it's own; they relied on one another. If there was no heat, there wouldn't be any evaporation and there wouldn't be rain; if there wasn't rain -- water -- vegetation wouldn't grow, and if there wasn't vegetation to fuel the fire, it would go out.
There was nothing that could distinguish one as 'life', since they depended on each other.
A few moments later, she sighed, glancing up at the canvas of trees above her, as though she'd find an answer written in the way the leaves and branches stretched out to greet one another, the rays of sunshine barely breaking through to reach the plants on the floor...
"The sun!" she said, suddenly. "We are only alive because of the sun. The sun is a star. Stars are big balls of fire. Fire is the answer!"
Satisfied that her answer was sound and there was no other solution beside that, she nodded once to herself and turned to the right. Not faltering in her steps, confident she had worked it out, she started down the path of fire.
Choice: a) |
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