Audland, meanwhile—not a weird train, not having a particularly strange life right now (just yet, anyways), is gunning it down the track. Right towards a giant twister, it would seem. "Great," Audland says under his panting breaths, sarcasm sliding out of his maw with an uncomfortable dry heat. No more talking. It was time to muscle through this thing. Surely, a twister couldn't be much worse than the blizzard-like winds of Ursa he was meant to withstand?

I guess it wasn't. By staying on the outer edge, Audland is able to skirt by the twister, suffering... pretty much nothing from the winds. His weight and fluff holds him down and protects his body. In other words, he takes that twister like an absolute champ. In more enthusiastic words, he eats that gurblin' twister for breakfast.

This is where things might get difficult, Audland realizes as he jobs leisurely through to the other side of a flipping twister to see platforms, tall platforms. What in the Minecraft parkour map. But, there may still be hope, for as we've seen of Audland before, he is capable of great acrobatic feats.

Well, when he's gay enough.

More on that later. Right now, the race. It it difficult, carefully maneuvering while hauling all this bulk across multiple platforms that put him so high in the sky and so not within familiar territory. Audland trips and stumbles a few times, threatening to fall of the edge. But one thing about his build is that when you are sure-footed, you are sure-footed for sure. Another thing about it is, when in doubt use your sick a%$ tail.

Through giddy, almost manic laughter, Audland carries his sanity through to what will likely be his greatest yet challenge:

Being smart.

Chromite hesitated, scythes wiggling as it eyed the... hole... in Titivilus.

After a moment it spoke, mandibles clicking. "I think... that would be cheating." Chromite wasn't sure, but it did seem that managing the course was something they were meant to do on their own. But it felt bad, turning down a polite offer, even if said offer would have been a horror show had it been any more familiar with eldritch tales of warning.

That sense of "I'm being impolite" very nearly convinced it to step on in anyway, which would have undoubtedly disqualified it. Not that it was winning anything, today. And had Chromite known anything about trains, it might have helpfully lied, suggesting passengers were waiting up ahead or the like.

It did not. It only knew that Titivilus was a big fleshy lump that wasn't going anywhere. "If you are fast we can go together," it offered at last, then turned to scuttle off.

@Titivilus (for visibility!)

Obstacle Course

Round 4!

The frontrunners of the race were able to navigate their way across the Platforms while Scion kept a careful eye. Nobody had fallen, yet, but the rest of the competitors were quickly catching up.

At the end of the platforms, a small race across a precarious cliff and then, turn the corner...and they would find themselves before the opening of a cave, which was currently occupied by the massive purple form of Overseer Tectus, cyan eyes sharply observing those that had made it first. "Well done. Your prize awaits behind me, but why should I let you through?" Amusement and interest gleamed in her expression as she waited to see what the competitors would do.

---

Competitors must find a way around Overseer Tectus using whatever skills they have at their disposal (as long as they are other rolls!). Failures will have her using her overwhelming size to block the entrance or otherwise refusing entry if they attempt to force their way past.

Current Placements:

1. ...Tectus? - Nidhogg, Bauxite T-One, Surgis, Audland
   
   
2. Parkour! - Nebula, Triage, Conleth, Richter
   
   
3. Face the Twister! - Coilean, Eira, Huntsman, Chromite T-One
   
   
4. The Gorge! - Titivilus

@Nebula (Eira) @Triage @Richter @Titivilus (Audland) @Bauxite-T-One (Coilean) @Surgis @Nidhogg (Chromite T-One) @Conleth (Huntsman)

The Bauxite scaled the platforms with ease, only to get the topped and be faced with the most challenging obstacle of them all...

His mother.

His head flicked back instinctually as he and the others were addressed directly, the blank simulacra of a face staring thoughtlessly as he attempted to come up with an effective strategy. The bauxite did not have equals. There was Tectus, who he was destined to overtake someday, and literally everyone else situated far, far below.

For the first time in the obstacle course, the Bauxite was unsure of himself.

He darted forward, then to pivoted rapidly to the side, and started to climb up the wall in a spiral to avoid her and any attempts to catch him she could make. He kept himself flat against the surface to a frightening degree.

Onlookers may be tempted to ask: Where are his bones? Does he have any? And to that I say, if there is a god, they'd probably be the only one who could answer those questions. Sorry.

Ok. This was getting out of hand. Can the boy actually make it past the twister.

Coilean was starting to consider giving in, but no! This was for his father. He couldn't forfeit... Not now, not ever. He braced against the wind, driving his claws as deep into the dry ground as he could for stability. Step by painful step, he made it through, and OUT, of the twister.

Even though he'd only just barely made it out of the second obstacle of the course, he stared blankly at the platforms ahead with a dazed grin, tongue lolling out of his mouth as he panted with the effort.

He did it! He actually did it!

As the winds at last fell to his back and their immense pressure became a past issue instead of a present one, no longer did Richter need to maintain the awkward shuffle he'd adopted for the purpose of survival. His body twisted, reorienting itself to head toward the next obstacle in a far more straightforward manner. However, such a quick change on the move for an individual more keen on enjoying life instead of flying through it meant he did not adapt well to the action. Long before he could even breathe relief at witnessing the ledges worn into stone, much less attempt at leaping for the first, newly adjusted feet asserted themselves as the true challenge to overcome. For the second time along the planned route, a bruised snout kissed the ground, clumsiness dropping him back into its hard and unwelcoming embrace.

And Surgis was presented with a problem. Tectus stood before them all, and she bobbed one way and the other, uncertain how to even get around her.

The Bauxite made his attempt. When- if- Tectus made a move towards him, Surgis shot forward for her chance, only to try and mash her face between Tectus and the cave wall. She was small, sure, but not small enough, successfully repelled back and landing back in front of the Overseer.

He continued push through, this time making it to the next round. He tried to keep his balance, but it didn't work the way he wanted and he ended up slipping off, making him yelp softly.

Quickly he scrambled up, taking a moment to stand on shaky legs before once again pushing forward. He wanted to get through this and in order to do so, he would have to keep his balance, and that would require him to concentrate.

She was getting really fucking annoyed at all this.

The twister was starting to get on her nerves, seeing so many others get past her. Finally though, she seemed to push through it, finding an opening against the wind to slip past and onto the next part.

Finally. Now she just had to hope that literately everyone else fell on their face.