The Masked Merchant paced slowly to the entrance of Tunnel P, robe gently sweeping aside bones as he moved.

Then he turned, and stood, and waited. They would come.

And as they arrived, he would tell them simply:

"A trial is planned. Opportunity to prove your value. Survivors will be rewarded."

From behind him, a cold wind blew.

The Winter Trial of Hydra will take place starting February 1st. Those who have participated in the Trials in the past will find both similarities and differences, so take note of changes in the rules (noted in red text) and changes in the rewards! This trial will be focused on a scavenger-hunt type task along with a devastating threat...

The Trial of Hydra is a test of both survival and of efficiency. While ALL survivors will have their pick of a Hydra-specific mutation (or a guaranteed Give Life attempt), there will also be special prizes for First, Second, and Third-Place winners. There are also basic rules in place regarding the goals of the Trial.

Prizes:

First Place: 1000 Magicka
Second Place: 700 Magicka
Third Place: 500 Magicka

First, Second and Third Place Winners will also receive a new winter-themed High-Intensity Water spell (to be unlocked in the shop afterward)

ALL survivors will receive a special site Achievement along with their choice of one of the following rewards:

1. Mutation: Snowy White - the Gembound's color will change to a pure and snowy white, either entirely or in a piebald pattern (player choice).

2. Mutation: Insulation - the Gembound will grow a full-body or almost full-body insulation. Players may choose between a covering of thick fur, warm feathers, or insulating blubber.

3. Mutation: Primal Teeth - the Gembound will grow jutting tusks or saber teeth.

4. Mutation: Snow Feet - the Gembound's feet will adapt to snowy or icy conditions. It may develop broad paws or hooves, or ice-adapted claws or ice-climbing hooves.

5. A guaranteed-success Give Life assistance from the Masked Merchant. This can be redeemed at any time; the Gembound will need to come to the Merchant, and ask him to aid them, at which point he will guarantee that their Give Life spell succeeds regardless of roll.

Trial Rules:

1.) Each round, you roll twice. If you succeed Roll #1, you can choose to move ahead and gain ground for a chance at higher prizes, or you can choose to hang back with the group (whether for your benefit, or for theirs). You can only help or be helped by those who haven't moved ahead or or behind your character.

2.) Gembound must meet the requirements laid out each round by the in-character test administrator. Should they choose to ignore a goal or try to skip it, they are likely to be killed as failures.

3.) Other than meeting the specified goals, Gembound may cheat, sabotage, form teams or otherwise work together or apart as they see fit. Killing other Gembound or luring them to their deaths is seen as a perfectly acceptable tactic by the test's administrator.

4.) Players will have one week per round to get their posts in. Characters who fail to post their attempts during a round within one week will be skipped. They will be considered behind the pack and moved to last place and, should they fail both rolls, cannot be aided by those who have moved on (who have posted in time and are then in the next round). If a player goes inactive during the Hydra trials, their character will be considered Lost in Action until the player can discuss options with a GM. These characters are not likely to survive.

CLICK for more detailed information on "Places" placement mechanics:

1. There will not be a posting order. First, Second and Third place will have nothing to do with who out-of-characterly manages to post first!

2. Gembound will, on each round, unless otherwise specified, be given a single challenge to roll against. They will have two attempts to succeed (Barely+ unless otherwise stated). Those who fail both attempt rolls in one round will die, unless aided by another who Succeeded their own FIRST roll. However, some rounds may have entirely different goals and rolling-rules, to be laid out on that posting turn.

3. Those who Succeed on their first attempt may choose to move on, and this will keep them in the "front line" of the pack or even move them ahead, if no one else succeeds. Alternatively, they can CHOOSE not to move ahead, but to stay behind (ex. in case others Fail their first attempt and need aid, or simply as a strategy, to sabotage the stragglers, etc.). When rolling a Success on their first attempt, Gembound will need to clarify below their post whether they choose to remain behind in case others need aid, or whether they choose to push ahead to gain ground against the rest. This choice cannot be changed once made. Those who fail to clarify after their post will be assumed to be staying behind.

4. Those who choose to stay behind and aid (or sabotage) those who failed Roll Attempt One will NOT advance ahead of that group. Each place can, until the final round, tie--there might be multiple Gembound on the "front line," another three in the group behind them, etc. A GM note at the start of each round will note where each Gembound is in the placement list.

5. Gembound can ONLY AID OR SABOTAGE those in the same "place" group as they are--they cannot rush to the aid of a group ahead or behind them, as they simply will not make it there in time.

6. There will be a round or two purely regarding speed: a race, if you will. Gembound will be allowed to sabotage one another, or simply try to gain ground. This will also alter the "place" standings. The final round will be a race to the finish, with roll #s as tiebreakers for the various places. Ex. if there are three Gembound on the front line, and they roll 20, 18 and 15, there's our First, Second and Third places.

Participants:
1. Imp
2. Desert Rose Thirty-Five
3. Agate Two-Three-Six
4. Wynter
5. Ivory
6. Winter
7. Virgil
8. Shida
9. Vinea
10. Palefur
11. Hargrave
12. Null
13. Fisher
14. Kalama

Imp was lingering fairly close. He'd come back and forth once or twice, working on his bat-eared hearing and the use of magic to spot living beings. And he'd listened, hateful, for any sign of Nemean; but none had been forthcoming. And at least he'd managed to miss, somehow, the stupid-faced Overseer.

But the cold air had caught his attention, and he caught the Merchant's passing scent, heard his rasping voice...

Imp crawled up.

"I'M IN. SHE CALLED ME WORTHLESS," he spat, offering zero context for this statement. "I'll prove I'm better than her shitbag friends even without my eyes."

Desert noticed the figure among the ruins of the tunnel's entrance as he made to go hunt in Canis. Things had begun to become more and more cold, and a sinking feeling grew every day in his stomach. The winter trial was soon.

He hadn't looked inside Hydra yet to confirm his suspicions. However, they were decimated when the robed being he'd awoken to sat expectantly right in view.

It was time.

Huffing to himself, he wheeled around to return to the Warren, glancing around inside to see who was there before drawing himself up. "The next trials are underway," he announced to the whole, before stalking out calmly despite the icy shards infecting his veins. This is what he was made for, and yet now with the taste of freedom, he had to willingly throw himself at these again. What had Vargas said- Hemlocke was excused, yet he wasn't? Was it all because of that infernal status? He choked down a sneer that didn't make the light of day as he hopped up to one of the fallen doors, looking to the Merchant.

He had a question. He gave no mind to the spitting- was he a Champion now?- hybrid, instead drawing his head higher and cocking it with cautious curiosity. "Is the reward more changes?" And why hadn't he gotten any? Perhaps they were latent- triggered by his fight with his fellow Sentinel.

No. He shouldn't be bitter about changes- this was to entice those who didn't want to participate like they should. He was skipped because he willingly joined, right? Hemlocke's alteration was practical.

Labradorite didn't mutate, either. His teeth grit and his eyes darted away as the brother came to the forefront of his mind, as it always did. This wouldn't be the first trial without him by his side, and yet he held concerns- with him missing, there was a spike in worry that shot right through him. Where was he now?

Practice your magic.

Not to say that Gatto had skipped the homework, but to be honest, Vargas's advice was about as useful to the thick-skulled freak of a chicken that had gotten word of the new Trial coming up. It was positively suicidal to be coming back to dare another trial after they had become, hm, "optional"; but to Gatto, there was no alternative option.

They flew through the Tunnel, expecting to see Garnet Five-Seven-Nine along the way. Instead, they were greeted with a few familiar faces: Desert Rose Thirty-Five, and... Ah, they didn't know the name of the winged-lizard Tiger's Eye, but didn't it have eyes last time they saw one another? Boy. That was probably the most awkward idea of a conversation starter. "Greetings!" They squawked as they landed nearby, "Blind one, I didn't catch your name last time." They assumed name, rather than designation-- in part, to spite the Master-worshiping fools, but also because it seemed to be the way of the caves these days. "I am Gatto, though I'm sure you remember me-- the Agate?"

... Gatto was a touch disappointed that they didn't see any other familiar faces. There had been a reason they had come, more so than the challenge that they could not turn down. They hadn't had any luck finding the others since re-emerging... If history was repeating once more, than surely they would come?

It would be better if no one showed up at all, but as long as the likes of Desert Rose remained, the Masters would have their games.

@Imp

Trepidation drew a shadow along the wall of the Tunnel, drawing closer to the winter winds. Gembounds gathered with anticipation over what had only been described as a Trial. Rumors had spread wide and far, but Wynter did not know what to make of the situation just through hearsay. He had been passively waiting for a moment that never seemed to come, and finally, his curiosity took the better of him.

"Ah--" The hybrid raised his voice to only hint above a whisper before thinking better of the action, moonstone antlers glistening in a frame around his violet eyes. He hesitated to speak up, listening as others spoke and asked questions of the one conducting the "trial"... Quietly exhaling with a snort through his nostrils, he took post nearby, standing awkwardly on his narrow legs. The wind sent a shiver up through his thick, black wool. For now, he would observe... And maybe he would ask a few questions before blindly rushing in.

If he was, err, even welcome at all. He didn't mean to presume, naturally, but... Well, it didn't seem like it was an all exclusive event, so much as... A challenge.

WYNTER HASIRA
I won't be made useless. I won't be idle with despair.

Ivory's father had done this. She knew of it, and she was dabbling about Canis when she heard the words.

A trial? An enthusastic snort escaped her, and she trotted over, her heavy bulk thudding with each step.

"My father was a Champion. I will join." It was bluntly-said, and her tail lashed briefly with excitement. She had no idea what was involved--Shango'd never bothered speaking of it, and she'd never thought to ask. A lost opportunity, though the child didn't know that. Like her father, she was brashly unaware of the danger she would face--but did it matter, really? She could just barge along and protect others; that's what she liked to do.

How long have I been asleep? That was the question Winter asked herself over and over again as she slid through the caves, alone for the first time in many cycles. The last thing she could remember was being with Kielo and Lyra and Vesna...the next, was breaking free from her chrysalis once again and utterly alone in the vastness of Polaris. And the cave itself looked different from when she'd last remembered it - what plant life there were was charred and destroyed and the ground was scorched with burn marks. It really looked like a mess and it had scared the snake enough that she'd fled, far away.

Canis hadn't been her favorite cave, either, but her wanderings took her there. She wasn't really sure what she was looking for, but she'd come to the conclusion that her family was either wandering elsewhere or sleeping, as she was. They're not dead, she continued to convince herself.

But this tunnel...this was new. And as she slithered forward, with the air growing colder and colder, she paused. Was this really a good idea? There were Gembounds gathered ahead...but none of them looked familiar. No face that she recognized, even a little bit.

Nervously, she slithered up and took her place a little at the back. She didn't speak up for now, only waited. An opportunity to prove my value? With a reward? Well, that sounded...okay. "I'll join," she eventually squeaked.

Cycles and cycles had passed with Virgil in a bit of a fretful slumber. She was, of course, enclosed in a shell of hemimorphite for the majority of that time - but that didn't stop her from doing a lot of literal tossing and turning inside. The bison'd been a bit like a child approaching birth, turning upside down in the capsule and then sideways and right side up again. It was a wonder how it hadn't broken yet or been noticed in some crevice in Canis. Sheer size alone should've been enough to draw notice.

Ah, well.

Here she was now, thundering down the dusty-snowy path and bellowing. Her eyes immediately fixed on a similarly large and strong-looking creature, white with spiralling antlers and bright green eyes. There was something smaller, more innocent standing nearby. A few other Gembound, and Virgil was stuck staring up at the Masked Merchant.

"Wow!" Very dumbly, she huffed, "whatever's happening, I'm in!"

Cold winds? Trials? Something new to throw herself into? Well, Shida had heard worse things to do with her time. She sauntered up to the ground, glancing around at the gembounds gathered.

Huh, so this was what Shango had been talking about. The Trials. But he'd said it took place in a desert with no storms, not a winter wonderland. Hm...she wasn't sure how to feel about that, especially as a shiver ran up her spine. She didn't know what to do about cold. Ah, whatever, she'd been looking forward to something like this and she was egged on by the presence of Ivory.

Baring her teeth in a grin, she trotted forward until she was next to her sister. "What's up, Ivory?" she chattered. "Seems great minds think alike. I'll join too," she added to the weird hooded guy. "Sounds like fun."

A reward?

Well, consider Vinea very interested!

The extremely odd-looking hyena-hybrid drifted down, gliding steadily and far too gracefully for something of such a massive size. He was clad in his more winter-appropriate attire, dusty gray and with blue bio-luminescence and bug-eyes.

He sidled up, slinking forward with his tail flicking, and gave the other Gems here a quick pass-over. They looked sturdy enough. Vinea wasn't completely sold on the "surviving" part of the deal, but that was moot in comparison to compensation. "I'm in, but the reward better be good!"