[ job class test ] on the rise ( lurks )

[its me debz]

Scavengers must be versed in all forms of knowledge and intuition. They are brought forth to the great sand dunes in the Famine quarters and asked to find 10 rare treasures in two minutes.

Time: If your time reaches zero it is GAME OVER.
THE MAP: Your horsemen starts at 120 seconds (make a mental tally this is their starting zone in the event. Their goal is to get ten treasures before 0 seconds hits.

- Roll 1d10. Every time you roll a dice, subtract 5 seconds from your tally. Match your dice roll to the events below.
Rolling 1-2: You find an interesting treasure involving some very naughty relationships but it is not what you are looking for.
Rolling 3: You find a treasure!
Rolling 4: You find a treasure!
Rolling 5: You find a great hidden book that whispers to you and promises power, but it is really not what you are looking for in this text.
Rolling a 6: A giant axe lands and neatly beheads you causing you to drop ALL your treasure!
Rolling a 7: You find a treasure!
Rolling a 8: You find a treasure!
Rolling a 9: You manage to find a piece of treasure that is just buried too deep in the sand. You waste time trying to dig for it. -10 seconds.
Rolling 10: You find 2 treasures!

GOAL: Find 10 treasures before time runs out!
UPON COMPLETION: You have done it! Your horseman gains the SCAVENGER PASSIVE ABILITY:


Scavenger passive ability: Your horseman may summon a mount-sized insect to do their bidding. They can also let give others one as well, up to two other horsemen, but others cannot use them in battle.
- In battle, you may summon that insect into battle. Roll an extra 1d6 once per battle as additional damage you do to your opponent.  

[its me debz]

He had a different set of rules to adhere by, in the tower. New loyalties and laws framing his life in a way he didn't know if he appreciated, with every intention to disregard them at a moment's notice.

Lurks was not disloyal to Medea, bur she had not earned any trust in him. He would follow the power wherever it went, and it was clear in every way that this portion of the Lost Clan had the upper hand.

But the Lost Clan was not Famine, and Famine was not the Lost Clan.

Clutching the book in skeleton bone fingers, Lurks Beneath scanned the text of the tome in his hands, curious and tempted to bend an ear to their promises and whims.

But Sindri had once said to not trust that which sang from books, and he put it away, gliding to the next dune, feet skating over sand.

Quote:

time: 120 - 5 = 115
treasures: 0

 

[its me debz]

In his idle time, body moving on auto-pilot in practised sweeps and arcs across the dunes, learned over a life time of desert travel, Lurks Beneath found that his mind traveled to far away.

To a future, where he ruled. To an estate, under his care. A stabilized, docile population, with new blood being added regularly.

He scooped a singular piece of treasure, a glittering bangle in ruby red, slipped around a bony wrist.

Quote:

time: 115 - 5 = 110
treasures: 1

 

[its me debz]

Lurks had been so distracted in thought that he had not seen-- and therefore had not accounted for--
the giant axe coming down upon his brow.

Needless to say, the bangle escaped.

Quote:

time: 110 - 5 = 105
treasures: 0

 

[its me debz]

When it rains, it pours and then axes you a question. Or, well.

A second question.

(There was no treasure collected.)

Quote:

time: 105 - 5 = 100
treasures: 0

 

[its me debz]

His cape swirls around him as the clock ticks, an ever-present metronome that rings through his skull. It isn't as though the title matters to Lurks.

Oh, no, it is so much more than that.

The promised power is what propels him forward, is what makes his eyes sharp as they look for treasure, is what raises his skeletal hands to nimbly collect two rings on two fingers.

Lurks Beneath's MO has always been; 'What have you done for me lately?' and the promise of new powers and abilities fit that bill quite nicely.

Quote:

time: 100 - 5 = 95
treasures: 2

 

[its me debz]

Another deft dive and another ring for bony fingers, tarnished but still precious. This felt pointless, endless. He daydreamed of the future, lost in thought and sand.

Quote:

time: 90
treasures: 3

 

[its me debz]

Lurks stared blankly at the vase, and the crude depictions painted upon it. He knew that he was running out of time, but he couldn't stop ...staring.

In all his years, he'd never realised you could do that with skeleton bones. If bone could blush, he would have. Interesting.

Quote:

time: 85
treasures: 3

 

[its me debz]

Another bangle and Lurks crept further towards the completion of his task. He wondered which mount would come to his aid, huge and ferocious and shadowy. Perhaps a scorpion. Or a spider.

He thought, then, of the Star Walker and her cloak of eight-legged companions, wondering briefly if she would like to ride upon it with him. Or, if he was lucky, he'd run across the Original.

Lurks giggled, hiding his half-bone mouth behind all-bone hands.

Quote:

time: 80
treasures: 4

 

[its me debz]

The Original would--surely-- not come willingly. It had been so long since he had seen him, and it set off a dark bolt of quiet-fury in Lurks' core. She got to see him all the time. She got to pet and touch the one that was not hers.

Furiously grabbing a necklace from the sand, Lurks began to plot.

Quote:

time: 75
treasures: 5

 

[its me debz]

The Original would soon learn to respect Lurks' wishes.

Quote:

time: 70
treasures: 5

 

[its me debz]

Blood running red, rivulets from how tender and delicate humans could be.

Maybe--

Maybe he needed to practise first. Keeping a pet all of his own, in the long term.

Quote:

time: 65
treasures: 6

 

[its me debz]

Where could he keep one? Fashioning restraints wouldn't be difficult, but finding a secure place to put a pet would be the hardest part. Maybe there were some abandoned lairs Lurks could borrow, or, even--

Maybe a base. He could leave it like a gift.

Quote:

time: 60
treasures: 7

 

[its me debz]

Lurks smiled, idly petting his own arms, hugging himself securely. Yes. Yes, this would be a good plan.

Quote:

time: 55
treasures: 8

 

[its me debz]

With a triumphant crow, the scavenger collected the last piece of treasure for his job test. It was plain, as far as treasure went, a metal plate with engraving carved into its edges, crude pictographs of the hive's structure. Oh...yes.

Maybe.

Maybe the mother would know how to get one, for keepsies. If Lurks could find her, she would be the one to ask.

Quote:

time: 50
treasures: 10