Faylin takes option 1.

The end was in sight, and a thrill shot through her as she noted the flags in the room, just waiting to be grabbed.

But the creature was still ripping around the room, and Faylin knew rushing could cost her. She needed to deal with the creature before going to the flag. Eyes tracking the creature, she murmured a paralyzing curse and once she was certain the creature couldn't move, she'd descend upon it with her Naginata, aiming to dismember the tentacles first, just to be sure, and then she'd go for the throat.

Ber is going to attempt to sneak past the monster by using sound (from throwing rocks) to trick it into thinking he’s further down the path. If that doesn’t work, then he will attempt to stab the glowing blue spot on its chest.

As the creature roared at him, Ber backed up, quietly unsheathed his sword, and considered the beginnings of a possibly very stupid idea. When the monster had roared, he hadn’t seen any obvious eyes, which begged the question: how did it know where he was? Sound? Making the split second decision to test the theory before potentially putting it to use, Ber held his breath and threw a rock past the creature to land on the ground somewhere behind it.

If it turned toward the motion or the sound, he would very quietly move to the side that put the most space between it and him, pressing his back to wall. In an attempt to lure the monster past him, he would then throw a rock back in the direction in which he came before leaning back, sword at his side, and holding his breath to be as silent and still as possible. If he could, he would let it pass unhindered before sneaking carefully and quietly down the trail in the direction he was originally heading, wary of any obstacles ahead of him as well as the giant thorny one behind him.

If the creature could not slip by without being made aware of his presence or it did not appear fooled by the initial stone throw, then Ber would do his best to quickly duck under it, staying near its legs where he thought it would have the hardest time reaching him. Avoiding stomping feet and dodging or blocking any blows he could, he would attempt to reach the glowing blue spot in the creature’s chest and stab it through with his sword.

Othello Allemeade and @torsten , perhaps now made a team through Othello’s selfless conduct, moved forward as a unit. Othello proceeded first, sweeping for traps as Torsten followed behind. They’d notice that their path was going downward, and that…was that water? In the dark, they’d find themselves ankle-deep in water, and it seemed it only continued to get deeper as the path went on. Fortunately, there was nothing to suggest this was anything other than just what it appeared to be.

Othello and Torsten have two options:

1) Continue forward by wading through the waist-deep water

2) Turn back and seek a dry path

What @berengar seemingly lacked in overwhelming physical prowess he made up for with his sharp wit. He was correct in thinking that sight was not one of the senses the creature relied upon. It turned toward the rock, taking a few steps forward: enough for Ber to see just what it is that lay at the end of the long corridor…

A large room with three flags in the center. At that moment, there was a burst of activity. A flaming cat-like beast catapulted into the room, wreaking havoc, followed closely by @faylin . @berengar ’s beastie let out another roar of panic, shooting vines out from all sides, both toward the room and toward Ber. The rose creature still stood between Ber and victory.

Ber is still in combat narration and must decide how to proceed.

@faylin , meanwhile, was well within the room engaged in a battle for victory. While many might have made a dash for the flag, Faylin was able to resist temptation. She instead focused on the creature, shooting a paralyzing curse that, after a few moments, made the beast’s joints stiffen. The naginata would easily dice the beast as Faylin intended, the creature quickly crumbling into nothingness. The witch would look up only to see…

@katerina standing on the opposite side of the room. Faylin was a few steps closer but for all intents and purposes, the witches would have an even shot at securing their prize.

Both Kat and Faylin must try to reach the flag.

Kasper Van Zant would be successful in freeing Octavius Wulfbrand from his webby prison. Should they both continue forward, they would come around the bend just in enough time to realize where they were and see just what became of the two witches.

Kasper and Octavius will narrate their response and subsequent action.

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POSTING NOTES

- Characters can go in any order, except for Octavius Wulfbrand and Kasper Van Zant , who must go after both Faylin and Kat have posted.

- For @katerina and @faylin : in this round, it is super important that you narrate your actions in terms of “attempts to (x),” whatever that might be.

The creature dealt with, Faylin turned to the flags only to see another soldier standing on the other side of the room. It took her only one more beat to realize it was Kat, and that she probably shouldn't do anything that would hurt Kasper's sister.

Faylin would attempt to slow Kat, speaking the paralyzing curse as quickly as her mouth would let her. As soon as the curse was complete, she'd make a mad dash for the flag.

Freed by Kasper, Octavius was quickly on his feet, and taking full advantage of being tall and having long legs, he set off after Kat. His objective wasn’t to beat her to the flag, but to make sure nothing got between her and it. Drawing up next to his partner, if the portal was open and the curse Faylin sent effective, Octavius would instead reach his king arm in and claim the first flag, quickly setting it into Kay’s hand. If possible, he’s try to take advantage of her portal and grab at second—or whichever was closest—for himself. In the event that Kat had already grabbed the first flag, his objective would be to use her portal to claim the next closest. Second or third, it didn’t matter to him.

Ber is going to try to use the rocks to lure the monster into the flag room so that the activity there will distract it from him, because sharing is caring and why should his problem not be everyone else’s problem too.

A tantalizing glimpse of the flags in the room beyond had a sudden impatience coursing through Ber as he ripped his gaze away from his target to focus on the monster standing in his way. From the way it had turned from him and reacted to the noise in the other room, he was fairly certain it reacted to sound, which meant…

As it roared, he would race forward, using the bellow to mask the sound of his own movement as he tried to dodge the vines that shot in his direction and position himself directly under the creature. Closer now to both his target and the obstacle, he would, as quietly as possible, throw a handful of rocks past the creature, either into or in the direction of the flag room, in an attempt to distract it - or better yet, lure it further forward into that room, where the noise of the other contestants might pull its attention from him and potentially slow them down. Apart from dodging or blocking what he had to, he would crouch at the ready so it could step right over him and try to stay as silent and as still as possible to facilitate that outcome.

If the monster stayed focused on him, then if he was able, he would use his new proximity to it to try use his sword to stab it through its glowing probably-a-heart. Otherwise, he would continue approaching at a run, using any roars as cover for the sound of his own steps, until he could do so.

Teamwork really does make the dream work.

@katerina ’s clever use of portals would serve her well. She’d grasp the large flag, yanking it partially through the portal before @faylin ’s curse descended upon its target. Kat would be frozen in place, the flag in her fist halfway through the portal. Thankfully, her inability to move would have no bearing on her concentration to keep the portal open.

As @faylin started dashing for the flag, Octavius Wulfbrand rocked up next to his partner. The flag was partially through the portal, making it easy enough for Octavius to grab and yank toward his partner. By the time Faylin reached the pedestal, the flag would be in the frozen Kat’s grasp.

@katerina has secured first prize.

Kasper, meanwhile, had wasted no time dashing toward the flag. He’d come close to the pedestal, eyes on second place, but not close enough to yet grasp it. He’d see @faylin come to a stop before the pedestal while he was still several leaping paces away from his goal.

It was then that a thorny monster burst into the main room. It had not yet engaged with any of its inhabitants, still disoriented from @berengar’s little diversion. Its vines started to crawl out once again, though they had not yet reached any of the people present.

@berengar would still have to pass the monster in order to enter the room but would find it momentarily distracted. He’d proceed quietly, but would not quite make it to his goal. Yet.

Othello Allemeade was acting as the perfect example of everything a Nevermerean brother-in-arms should be—much to the surprise of the witches on the walls. @torsten stayed put while Othello started to zip across the water. He would make it far enough to get a glimpse of the room beyond, before—

A hand reached up from the water and grabbed the edge of the shield, pulling downward, seeking to tip the not-really-Coheedsman into the water. The creature would emerge in all its weird and terrifying glory with an otherworldly wobbly sound that made the water’s surface tremble. It whipped its tail, seeking to wrap Othello Allemeade in its snare.

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POSTING NOTES

- Characters can go in any order. Again, be sure to narrate in terms of attempts and be specific.

- Each character will narrate their action; no options to pick from this time.