Randomness

The Gauntlet

Seemingly all at once, heroes, adventurers, and vigilantes charged at the demonic arachnid as she loomed over Katelin poised to strike with its sharp black fangs. She lunged towards the defenseless girl only to be thwarted by a wall of green energy that had materialized between them. Confused, the fiendish spider struck at the wall using her clawed hands, attempting to destroy it. It took a step back but by that time, the ground that surrounded it had erupted into flames, replacing the area katelin was lying on the ground.

Letting out a sinister hiss, the spider shuffled about to remove itself from the flames. Before it could make much progress at all, its body was hit with a wave of verdant energy. It could no longer look for what had happened to its prey, the energy blinding it momentarily. Even so, the spider was able to quickly scurry out of the flames. Clawing away at the residual energy, the spider’s attention turned to the girl adorned in leaves, but only for a moment. As soon as the energy dissipated, a heavy object had landed on its back.

Like the sharp hairs that were more like swords that protruded from the arachnid legs, the hairs that covered the creature’s back were also sharp. Saria’s armor protected her from most of the spikes, but some of the shorter ones were caught underneath the steel hanging around her hip and groin, and some of the longer ones stabbing at her underarms and catching under the hanging shoulder plates. The needles like hairs were not pointed straight, so they weren’t able to cleanly pierce if at all.

The horrific monster was not keen on being mounted. It raised its body, stretching it legs suddenly in order to get Saria to shift and perhaps scrape against the spike trap that was its back. At the same time, it was able to turn it’s human like torso slightly and reach at her using one of its clawed arms. While it attempted to remove Saria, it scampered around the fire pit, stepping into it on occasion the heat forcing it away every time. Eventually after enduring as many attacks from Saria as it could, it latched onto one of the webs that it had dangling from the ceiling, and climbed up, the shift in gravity forcing Saria off of its back. Drops of dark green blood dripped onto the ground as it quickly climbed from the wounds that Saria had inflicted. Unfortunately, it was not enough to dispatch the hellish monster.

Back up on the ceiling, it shrieked once again. Too high up for any one warrior beyond a ranger or mage to reach, it was able to crawl along the ceiling relatively safe from the majority of combatants. Using the webs it was able to produce from its mouth it wrapped its body covering various parts of its legs. Once it was done it quickly descended from the ceiling once again, away from the flames and the warrior wielding the crimson blade. This time, it had positioned itself upon the other side of the dormant metal man. Natalia’s armor and those who gave it their attention were what separated it from the flames. Natalia’s armor and those who gave it their attention were the closest prey the fiendish spider from hell could consume.

The Gauntlet

@Doc Doctor Wow, that is quite the muscular man. Interesting name. He’ll probably feel right at home fighting for survival with no care as to why. He is accepted and can be placed in the character tab.

Since Katelin was more or less the spotlight character, I’m going to give Loganthecat a little bit to post. Otherwise, I’ll have a reply some time tomorrow.

The Gauntlet

I'm sorry @LogantheCat, but the opportunity was too good to pass up.

I think if by a couple posts enough direct and quick actions take place, I'll post reactions and counter attacks. I'll try to pay attention to how many times people post so that some of us don't get left behind.

The Gauntlet

The fiendish spider monstrosity was nearly on top of the small group of warriors that still stood in front of her. She raised one of her long arms and clawed hands preparing to swipe at them when one of them humorously rolled away. That did not matter; there were still a couple of small fleshy beings in front of her. Before she could fully attack, a woman brandishing a sword glowing of deep crimson forced her way through the fiend’s bladed legs. If unhindered, the power put behind the red blade’s master would have been devastating. Yet, the broken hairs were enough.

With a snap, the large spider abomination was able to shift her body suddenly, and use her other hand gouge at Saria as she lunged forward. The fiend’s speed coupled with Saria momentum left her with little to no room to evade. Fortunately, Saria had allies though not sought, were willing to aide her. De’kae was able to give Saria a barrier moment before the sharpened claws could rip into her. The barrier was enough to prevent any potential penetration of Saria’s armor, instead repelling Saria backwards. The arachnid beast was momentarily dazed by the knock back, but quickly recovered.

The creature scanned the room darting her head side to side, attempting to find the source of the repelling effect that had saved Saria earlier only for it to catch a spear made of ice out of the air using her long arms. It was aware of the other spear lodged within its spines, but had ignored it. Now, her attention was on the slender girl pulling back her bow. With no one in between them, and no one standing ground next to her, the fiendish spider turned to face Katelin completely.

Opening what could be best described as some kind of mouth from between its large fangs, the spider sprayed out several webs that spread midflight. Acting like a net, the webs caught the arrows she had fired midflight, detonating, and setting part of them on fire. Even so, the shot continued until it had engulfed Katelin, knocking her back onto the ground. Anywhere the webs had contact with exposed skins started to feel numb. Quickly, the fiend had crawled towards her. The webs were partially broken thanks to the flaming arrows destroying part of the web midflight, so Katelin wasn’t completely pinned. But the spider abomination was right on top of her, fang poised to strike. This left Katelin with barely a moment to escape.

Katelin could either fend for herself, or someone could come to her aid. There was still an air of confusion wafting between the champions. If defeating this villain of nature was the goal, it stood still for the time being, making it an easier target. At least, for now.

The Gauntlet

Great first posts all around. After Duthguy and Silvermist post, I will post an update.

To be honest, this is the first RP I've run with so many players. I might need to start employing minor updates just to react to some of the more immediate actions like Saria and katelin's attacks. This could also allow more preparation posts like where Natalia needs to correct her armor. After that I could post a main update where the spider does a lot of things and we can go from there.
It's just a thought. For now, lets see how Leon and Esperanta react to their sudden grave situation.

The Gauntlet

@LogantheCatAn archer, and with the power to never run out of arrows no less. Very practical. At face value she seems a bit under-powered, so I say go ahead and have a little creative freedom with how she is able to apply her ice and fire powers to her ability at close combat and her arrows. Finally, with that as her phobia and what she'll be facing as her first opponent, I'm curious as to what her reaction will be. She is accepted, so go ahead and move her to the character tab and make a first post when you're ready.

The Gauntlet

@LogantheCat You're all good. If you want to make a character, you're more than welcome.

Perhaps I should reword rule 5. The idea behind it is from a story perspective, no champions can join the gauntlet after it has started. So if someone wants to make a character after the RP has started, their character would be retconed in as if they were there from the beginning.

@Schizoid WriterStrong first attack, lets hope she hasn't killed herself already.

Note: Keep in mind the room is fairly large, so the walls are far apart.

The Gauntlet

Alright, the IC is up now. It might not be much as an introductory post, but I think it's enough to get us started.
This is the first enemy the champions from varied worlds and cultures will be facing, lets see what we got.

It would be nice if everyone got to post before I posted updates, but I'll post regularly each week depending on the amount of replies.

The Gauntlet

The Gauntlet

A cold breeze. A hard surface. You slowly open your eyes.

Lying uncomfortably upon a cold, uneven floor made of dark stone, you slowly wake. You question how you were even able to sleep in such conditions in the first place. Then it becomes quite apparent that this was not where you were in the first place. You’re not even sure if you went to bed before arriving at this new location. Wide awake now, you quickly take to your feet looking around to gage just where you are.

The room you find yourself in is large ranging almost endlessly to any of the walls that surround you. You look up to see that the room reaches several meters into the air, meeting at the vaulted ceiling. Along each wall are columns that jut halfway out of them, separating it into segments. Carved into each frame are various battles of unknown faction or origin. The room is surprisingly well lit despite lacking any obvious light source. You spin suddenly when a cough echoes throughout the massive chamber.

You become aware that you are not alone. Lying on the floor around you are various other people, dressed in both familiar and drastically foreign attire. They begin to stir, waking up equally confused as you are. Many of them begin to murmur, question and group up trying to make sense of the situation. You join them but before any conversation could take place, the room is filling with another sound that seemingly originated from the ceiling. You collectively look upward to search for the source of the sound only to revolt against the sight.

~~~~~

A fiendish sight rested upon the above the champions’ heads. A spider in shape equipped with long slender legs, and large abdomen, its near black color almost blended in with the dull grey that was the stone ceiling. With webs reaching each corner of the room, it was clear that this chamber seemingly without doors was this monster’s home. Quickly, the creature descended along a series of thin threaded webs reaching the ground facing the newly awoken challengers.

This spider was more than what could be seen when above. Its body towered over the champions’ almost doubling their height. Its body and legs were covered with hairs resembling long needles with sharpened points. The spider was fiendish enough, but sprouting from the between the monster’s eyes was the torso of a female, horrendously malformed, and slightly larger than that of a normal human’s. The body was the female was long, lanky, and colored grey much, lighter than the arachnid body. Each of her arms was abnormally long, almost twice as long as her human body, each hand equipped with long fingers and nails resembling claws. From her head grew very long coarse hair that covered her face and body. The hair made it impossible to see her face, but that was not necessary to sense the malice it held towards the champions. Who or whatever made this thing had a strange sense of propriety.

The spider screeched from its human mouth. If the warriors were not prepared for battle now, there wasn’t much time left to steel them. With a few steps forward, it raised its long front legs higher over the warriors who were still grouped together. In an instant, it slammed them down, seemingly without target. If the champion’s were not sure before, it was clear now of the hostility before them. The creature continued to screech as it swung its legs to its right knocking whoever in their path away. Not only that, but the hairs that protruded from its legs acted liked swords, slashing at and slicing through anything soft that came into their path.

After its initial swipe through the group, it had managed to scatter them well enough. Screeching one more time, the spider charged at the first pocket of warriors that remained standing in front of her. No matter who intruded on who’s domain, it was a battle between spider and man. Left with no options other than to fight, perhaps the defeat of this strange spider abomination would provide answers to how they had come to be in this place.

The Gauntlet

@silvermist1116 Alright, we'll see how it goes. Esperanta is accepted. She may be placed within the characters tab.

I like the current collection of creative characters concocted. I'll start the IC sometime in the next seven days or so. With grueling battles ahead, my only concern is that the enemies that your characters will be facing will be thrilling and engaging enough.