[elevator] [cerberus]

[guillotineroom]

[ When you open your eyes again the first thing that you, and your teammates, may notice is that you are confined within an iron cage, rectangle in shape. Further inspection will reveal that outside of the cage is a large structure of sorts, reaching far above you. It kind of looks like an unfinished clock tower, really... there are spots that look finished and bolted tightly, and others that look like they had been left once and the work never thought of again.

Also, it's pretty chilly. You might get to notice that.

It's foggy and windy—the kind of wind that howls and roars, jostling your cage against the tall shaft, and every so often you feel as though you might have had the ghost of a raindrop on you. The tower-like build creaks horribly ominously in the wind, and you can see the rusted metals swaying slightly. But if you decide to look around...

Flapping above you (and not helping with the wind) is a harpy-like creature, iron chains wrapped around their talons. Though, maybe it's more like a lion? The chains are bolted to the top of your cage. There are also little indicators on the structure, the same distance apart, that seem to be declaring different levels or heights. They look horribly unhappy to be here, but they're also impressive at ignoring any call you might have for them.

There's a door to the cage, but it won't open, even if it's just a simple-looking locking mechanism. If you peer out, it's too foggy on the ground to make out very much, but you can make out nine other, tower-like structures with similarly flapping harpies. Each one, including your own, has an emblazoned emblem of every team's patron monster, so that you can see where everyone is—it's just difficult to make out exactly who may be in each one. Even more difficult to try and communicate like this.

Attached to the door is an aged metal panel with a screen and four buttons; two to choose between the team names that appear on the dark green and black screen, and two to choose whether you wish for that team to go up or down.

After a moment, a little speaker in the corner starts playing an incredibly bad quality version of this.]

Comments

TOUGH CHOICES

[moonlit_knight]

[Trying to take the lead before Saturn or Aymeric have to again, EVERYONE LISTEN TO SELENA]

We have to decide our strategy going forward. Right now, we have a choice to vote to lower Kraken, or stand by our alliance and lower Bugbear.

Kraken is obviously in the most immediate danger. It seems like most of the teams have been voting to minimise damage, but they drew the short straw and got three teams deeming them as 'safe'. If even one more team votes for them, they'll hit the top. But if we vote to lower them, and they lower themselves, they'll have a fighting chance.

However, we obviously have our agreement with Bugbear to prioritise them, and while they're currently in a safe position, any raises on them would put them in a risky place. Do we try and fight fires to keep Kraken from hitting the top, or do we try to keep Bugbear stable?

Additionally... there's a proposal for raising that none of you are going to like. But if we raise Basilisk, we can potentially take the heat off of Kraken if they survive. I know nobody wants to throw them to the wolves, but the other choices are voting for someone like Yatagarasu again or Tsuchigumo, and we all know our feelings on them. I know none of you would want to go for a plan so cruel, but it could give Kraken, Bugbear and Nymph the break they need. Could you all live with that?

[messianic]

[ .....................

compartmentalize, compartmentalize, compartmentalize--

okay no he's just sinking to the bottom of the cage and crouching there for a moment.

aaaaaaaaa. ]

[menphina]

[ Kneeling and placing a hand on Minato's back, tail wrapping around him. ]

[moonlit_knight]

[sorry buddy :(]

...I'm sorry. I hate it too.

[eggstinction]

[y'know what, that's three people sitting on the floor now. crouching down to make it four, time to huddle.]

Minato...

[fujimaru]

...

[ She just sits next to him, then leans to press against his side. ]

[lonesummit]

[Zhongli will crouch to place a hand on Minato's shoulder. Steady and firm- just like the rock that he is.]

We will all make it out of this, come what may.

Re: TOUGH CHOICES

[eggstinction]

[shakes his head, clenching his free hands together]

I will not raise Basilisk. I will not— cannot push a team to be the highest.

Re: TOUGH CHOICES

[moonlit_knight]

[Nods]

I don't like the idea either. It's not a plan I truly want to advocate for. I just... Don't know what more we could do for our friends.

[peacetalks]

[in a dull tone, quieter than he is normally]

I am in favor of lowering Bugbear, and choosing a team such as Phoenix or Tsuchigumo, or even Yatagarasu to raise. The strategy of saving Kraken is too risky... and involves knowingly sacrificing another team. But it is a sounder option than splitting both strategies.

My preference is for Bugbear, but I shall cede if I am outvoted.

[lets out a long sigh]

[moonlit_knight]

I'm honestly pretty relieved nobody likes the idea. There's no point raising Basilisk if we don't lower Kraken, so, if we do decide on Bugbear then I think Yatagarasu would be the best option to raise.

[cultfavorite]

[By now he's pale and red-eyed, and his hair is all messed up, but his voice is steady and his breathing is calm.]

I don't believe Kraken is in danger this round. Maybe it's naive of me, but I don't believe any team will aim at them knowing they'll almost certainly die if they do. It would take us lowering them, Kraken lowering themselves, and a third team lowering them to prevent that . . . and I don't know if I think Kraken will lower themselves. Which would imply that either no one votes to raise them and they're fine, or one team votes to raise them and they may very well hit the top anyway even if we vote for them.

. . . That would suggest that we should use our vote elsewhere. But. If no one touches them at all, they're still at the twelfth floor. That could mean they remain the highest team. In the next round—we'll all be vying to lower ourselves so as not to die. If they don't get help now, it may not come then either. And I can't. I can't allow them to remain there where they are.

[messianic]

[ He isn't one to throw his weight around one way or another with these choices generally, and he's not going to now either. But when he does get himself together, he does speak up in a pained, quiet voice. ]

... I... don't like the idea of not choosing something just because it might not end up mattering.

[moonlit_knight]

[nods]

Just because they aren't likely to hit the top this round doesn't mean they won't still be in trouble. And honestly, even if we don't keep them from the highest spot...

I hate the idea of leaving them thinking nobody tried to help them.

[menphina]

No. I'm not going to agree to Basilisk.

We can lower Bugbear, and hope that Yatagarasu and Tsuchigumo will have someone protecting them if they've made it this far. We can do that, can't we?

[moonlit_knight]

I'm much happier to agree to lowering Yatagarasu or Tsuchigumo. Yatagarasu is my preference.

We still don't have consensus on Bugbear or Kraken to lower, but I'll take that as another vote for them.

Re: TOUGH CHOICES

[fujimaru]

...

[ She is still peering out the window right now, quiet. ]

I don't think Basilisk is really a great option, but none of them are great options. Phoenix or Unicorn might be safer bets for raising, but I think everyone might be thinking that...

I don't care who we lower, though. I'd vote for anyone, as long as it brings people down.

[menphina]

[ She's not even sure who she'd raise. All she knows is she wants to lower everyone. EEEEVERYONE.

Just moving to squeeze Ritsuka's shoulder and stay close to her. ]

I wonder if people will aim at Yatagarasu now...

Re: TOUGH CHOICES

[moonlit_knight]

No opinions on lowering? Alright then. Let me know if that changes.

I personally wouldn’t mind Unicorn, more than Phoenix, but others have said they don’t want to hit those two. We seem to be leaning towards Yatagarasu again, would you be okay with that?

Re: TOUGH CHOICES

[lonesummit]

Raising Basilisk is unacceptable.

The rules state that half of us will lose, and that loss is likely going to result in death or grievous injury. Even if one team is raised to it's death now, it will not affect who else will die, and even if everyone collectively lowers Kraken out of danger, that will simply be condemning a different team. We save no more or less people, and I for one will not knowingly and willingly send innocents to their deaths if it does not result in great good.

Take into account that whoever we lower, we may be condemning the next higher team. To this end, it is best to try to even us all out to the best of our abilities, not to sacrifice any.

We are all equal in this task, and we all will suffer by it's end, no doubt. Better choices for raising are Sphinx, Yatagarasu, Unicorn, as they are not at the bottom, but nowhere near the top either. Tsuchigumo is likely to be targeted by numerous people, or otherwise the other teams may assume they will be targeted and leave them be, but erring on the side of caution is for the best.

[menphina]

[ She looks helplessly towards Zhongli, and nods. He's right. ]

Then... we should decide who we can risk raising, first. That's going to be a tougher decision than who to lower.

Re: TOUGH CHOICES

[moonlit_knight]

I’d prefer we were all as equal as possible too, if we could manage such a thing. I know a fall at any height will be bad, but a fall from six stories is far less dangerous than a fall from thirteen. I don’t want to send anyone to their certain death… But the rules say being the highest team, no matter how high, is going to be bad. It’s just possible we could prevent one of the teams we care about most from being in that position.

I won’t push for it though, and none of the others seem to want to either. It’s a relief. I’m leaning more towards raising Yatagarasu.

[featherbeaned]

[ Unisonya is ALARMED by Kraken but she's finally (mostly) (sort of) found some chill. Ish. ]

I think … I think …

[ shakes her head ]

Part of me thinks that at least one team is gonna look at Kraken and try to finish the trial quickly. But I'm also thinking that lots and lots of teams will think like we do, and try to save them … and that by trying to save Kraken, one of the teams lower down will get piled on by everyone. Like — like overcorrecting?

[ her tail twitches, thumping twice like an agitated cat's before she puts a paw on it. shh, tail. ]

… If I was here by myself, I'd raise Yatagarasu and lower Bugbear.

[moonlit_knight]

I’m fine with Yatagarasu. Overcorrecting is a definite danger. That’s how Kraken got there in the first place, I bet.

I think Bugbear being in the middle will protect them from being overcorrected at least. It’s not the best height, but, they’re less likely to be chosen as a ‘safe’ choice by everyone trying to minimise damage. But lowering them would still be worth it… Another vote for Bugbear, then.

Re: TOUGH CHOICES

[crimeson]

[Haha fuck I'm the tiebreaker.]

...Bugbear will get it, if we vote to lower Kraken. I can't say it wouldn't go to waste, since some people might see Kraken's spot as an opportunity to get things over with, but judging by the response to the first round...

I'm sorry. I can't bear to have raised Tsuchigumo if they fly to the top. So I'm gonna lean on Yatagarasu too.