Here's the thread where you can ask all your questions and scream at me for giving you this sneaky little challenge. Okay, okay, but I have to up the ante somehow. You're all so bright you're burning through anything I throw at you. (I think I got 7 solutions to the guard puzzle within an hour, some came in in 10 minutes.) We also have a BUNCH of really good RPers with us this year, both returning players and new ones.

It's all very impressive, but it does require me to get craftier.

Chapters 8 and 9 are fairly complex. This one has an HA contest and also a split-party RP. The deadline on the the HAs and the first RP part is July 19th at 11:59 Subeta time. After that, there will be another RP part, also split. You will be back together for the first part of Chapter 9, which has a somewhat similar challenge.

Here are some things for Chapter 8:

1. RP for the ball is exactly as described. One of you will be the Falcornian ambassador and the other two will be his/her nieces/nephews. Style, charm, and craftiness are needed here, and you will make conversation! One of you must wear/carry a black rose--you may choose any black rose item on Subeta.

2. The stealth group does not have to make conversation, but they do need sneakiness AND, in addition to looking "stealthy," they also have to say Steampunk! NO dress like a ninja and hide. Katsuhiro may be yummy, but you are NOT in Japan. You are in Wolfenhague.

How you play it beyond that is up to you. One group will arrive at the ball and proceed to charm their way into Tanaka's vicinity; the other group will infiltrate Katsuhiro's home, and reach the outer door to his rooms.

Stop the first part there, as the story will pick up at that point.

Yay i got that ping :)

Can't wait for the next part. :)

I got a ping to here but not to the actual Chapter 8 board. I am assuming there is one and I can go look for it. Would pinging the captains of each team help, or would that be too much to ask?

so, we're turning in two RPs, right? One for the ballroom and one for the stealth group.

That can be combined into one single for the first part. After those come in, there will be another part of the story, and both groups will have ANOTHER RP along with a puzzle, which will be different for each group. You may work as a whole team to do the RPs and solve the puzzles.

It was the only caps vs small case thing again, and I didn't play enough with it last night. Pinging the captains (and co-captains and whomever's around only works partially,) and the bunch of smails that I receive afterwards from those who feel that "wasn't the proper way to do it" makes it a less than appealing solution. :)

Just a side note. A few folks are leaving for a week or so vacation, or have other considerations, and I've gotten smails and comments about additional HA contests so they could make ahead of time.

I'm glad to accommodate, but I don't want to give any team an extra advantage, so YES, there will be one more HA contest, for Chapter 9. The teams will be back together, and you will each need a "boytar" or male HA. However, this will need to be a "steampunk fanboy" of the Gearwork Goose's star performer, Nancy. That's right--you will all need to become "Nancy Boys."

There you now ALL have a head start (like you didn't have enough to do already. :D)

thanks a ton for doing this ! :D

I just spit out coffee all over my keyboard. >.<

That definitely makes sense about pinging the captains. Weird how the case of the letters affects it.

: do the HAs have to wear masks like they do for Masquerade?

Quoting "That's right--you will all need to become "Nancy Boys."

I just laughed out loud. :)

Okay i just looked this up in my funk and wagnals and ..........falls over on the floor.thud........

Just making sure you got Greenrowan's ping, we don't have super-long on this so let's start thinking about our RP and HAs :)

No masks, hunny. Just ball attire.

Remember, this is in game context, not the dictionary definition or reference. It was simply too "punderful" to resist.

Just to clarify the setting: Our RP should involve both split teams, right? Will it be enough to describe that we reach our destinations (ball, Katsuhiro home) before the next scene starts?

ALSO

I wonder who that named "old man" be? I quite of lost the plot. I thought Letty was captured, but she is a female. So are we going to discover who the man is - or did I overread something important? ^^;

The "old man" is Hayao Katsuhiro, the creator/master of OneToo. He has been under house arrest since the first letter sent by Jer Terrabotti and delivered in the box the wizards sent you/

For the ball, you simply have to enter. For Katsuhiro's house, you must get past the gates, and into the front door/hallway. That is as far as you need to go for the first part, and yes, it should involve both split teams.

: Where is the ball being held? Is it in the same hotel where the groups are being housed?

i see no masks that is good to know... now you mentioned"fine ball attire ..someone is suggesting it still needs to be steampunk and BRIGHT>> my question is..is bright COLOR or the personality of his likes..if i may know that>..Tanaka...He's a dandy, though, and only appreciates bright and beautiful, so turn it on or you'll never get near him.< i took it as bright in personality and being a dandy himself beautiful in attire.. could you correct me on this one??

: I had the same questions and I just decided that "Bright" and Steampunk" meant "Subdued Color." In other words, no pastels or primary colors. But, that is my interpretation of the genre. ( hugs you tightly )

Yes; in the hotel ballroom downstairs.

If you can make him catch his breath in a good way, no matter how you do it, that's the idea. Primary color, jewel toes, and pastels if you can steam them up, are all fine!