astroventor

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Challenge #1 - Vanya’s Guesses

Tails 

Heads 

Heads 

Heads 

Heads 

Heads 

Tails

[astroventor]

indra-chitam​:

Indra’s gaze shifted to regard her sidelong. From the sidelines he so earnestly occupied, the roar and rush of the competition was more spectacle than something so dire. And spectacle it was.

“Consider me glad you’ve no plans to strike me,” The trader chuckled. “And when it isn’t me you’re facing in the ring, my friend?” When it’s another competitor, “then what of your obedience?”

Vanya is trying her best not to watch. Perhaps she should be, seeing the other’s style of attack might help her to form a strategy. But for now the clanging of swords only serves to match her ever more rapid heart rate. She does not want to look, it will only make her panic worsen. 

“Obedience,” she sighs, grimacing as if the words tastes bad in her mouth. She’d been at the beck and call of her employers for so long she merely wished to work for herself. that’s why she was competing, and it felt ironic to blindly fight for the sake of eventual freedom. She laughed, trying to make light of the situation, “I suppose that depends on how much they taunt me before we begin?” 

“Have you ever been in a fight?” 

[astroventor]

aeshakhanna​:

“Well, if it remains any consolation, I am confident our future leader’s swordfighting skills are not all that matters,” Aesha smiles reassuringly, “I’m no master of swords, myself, but I do know that skill and strategy are equally important to brute strength when it comes to a duel,” Aesha replies for good measure.

“Just avoid getting accidentally stabbed and I am sure you’ll be fine…” she says, realizing it’s likely far easier said than done. 

Vanya sighed, “I hope that this competition’s tasks go in order of ascending importance because if teamwork and sword fighting are top priorities then I have no chance to win.” The whole thing was making her rather nervous. She’d never held a sword before, except to repair them, and that was hardly sufficient practice. “I think my tactic for now will be to dodge as much as I can to tire my opponents out. And when they grow sluggish I will strike.”

“Of course, dodging only works insofar as I am able. If I lose a hand or an arm in this competition I will have sacrificed far too much. I’m beginning to think i should withdraw.” 

[astroventor]

@aeshakhanna​

“It hardly seems fair for them to make me fight, there’s a palace guard competing after all. How in the world am I supposed to win? You wouldn’t happen to secretly be master swordswoman who can train me overnight?”

[astroventor]

@indra-chitam​

“I’m so glad you are not a competitor. I don’t know if I could fight you  . . . morally. It feels wrong so strike against someone who has done nothing to give me cause. I have never been one for blind obedience, especially if it means violence.” 

[astroventor]

monikadabral​:

“Well, whether the Maharani respects it or not, it’s often been stated that ‘fortune favors the bold’, so at least it seems that you may have luck on your side,” Monika replies, before shaking her head, “I’ve begun to theorize but only in the far more general sense, as I’m afraid my stakes in this game are likely not the same as yours,” the noblewoman admits. Parakram was still, in many ways a foreign entity to Monika as she learned it’s ways and rules. As a noble, this competition would select her new sovereign and Monika could only hope it would produce someone worthy of her full fealty. 

“As for my current suspicions– I have an inkling that it will take more than a single person alone to solve this puzzle…if court life has taught me anything, very little has ever been accomplished solely on one’s own,” Monika says, not entirely sure why she’s decided to offer the inventor her own thoughts on the entire matter, “I have a feeling this tiger is only one out of many mysteries to come and is perhaps representative of what the first challenge might bring…a glimpse into the future, if you will.”

As much as Vanya believed in the turning of the stars and was conscious of acts of coincidence and chance, she was overall skeptical of the existence of luck. She found it hard to believe there was a strange and nebulous force out there which could determine or influence outcomes. And she was doubly skeptical of the idea it could be personified enough to take favor to someone. But she did not want to argue with someone during the first conversation, she she merely said, “Let us hope that fortune favors the reckless as well.”

Vanya quirked her head the the side, intrigued by the idea of a task which required the cooperation of two people. It seemed rather unfair to start with seeing as not all of them had the chance to make connections in Parakram so far. Even more so, she was perturbed by the idea of a task which could not be done alone with only the assistance of tools. Still, she was willing to adapt, “I quite like the way that you think. Would you perhaps like to test your theory together. If it does not work I can always break the scroll afterwards.” She laughed. 

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ofprakriti​:

Nymisha thought about the question for a moment, brows furrowing in thought. “Depends,” she finally said, gruffly. She kicked a small pebble into the pond, and, satisfied that the ground was clear, lowered herself to sit upon it, eyes trained on the face of the other as they continued to stare at the depths of the water. Nymisha had always considered herself the resourceful sort. Quick on her feet, but not scholarly. Not clever. She knew she had little chance in getting her hands on that scroll, and even if she did, prising it from the figurine’s grip was unlikely. 

“The way I see it,” she continued, finally shifting her gaze to study the water, taking the other’s lead. “Whatever is on the scroll is clearly going to give whoever reads it an advantage. The longer it takes you to figure it out, the more chance of someone else beating you to it. If it’s unreadable, then at least you know nobody is beating you yet.” 

Vanya’s eyes caught on the small splash into the water and she watched as the ripples extended outwards and dissipated. The movement of water had always fascinated her, so she had to resist the urge to begin thinking and theorizing. she was so prone to distraction that she was even tempted to find more rocks to throw within to watch, study, and take notes on. But then she remembered that she was supposed to be having a conversation and that there was another person next to her, awaiting her response. 

“I suppose if you look at it that way, destroying the scroll could be seen as a way to level the playing field. I’d almost be doing everyone a favor,” she said, knowing full well she didn’t believe any of it, “Except for those, of course, who seriously thought that they could retrieve and read the scroll for themselves. Would you happen to be one of those people?” 

[astroventor]

surajvengali​:

The game had begun and there was a surge of undeniable delight in Suraj. He needed to get ahead, to up his chances on the very thing that he believed would give his a life purpose. His arrogance had already entertained fantasies of life after his victory. 

Despite how much he liked to dream of his own grandiose illusions, reality had sent him back to the thick of mysteries. He had been walking about, in search of answers to the first task. And by perhaps stupid luck or sheer chance, had had the fortune to stumble upon her. But it wasn’t her existence that had his eyes pierced like a needle, it was the item that she held between her fingers. The scroll - he wanted it. 

“Destroy? I doubt that’s what you’re truly thinking,” his voice was calm but there was a sharpness to the syllables, gliding across each word like a knife. “If you need help, please do ask,” cue the faux smile. 

To Vanya, the competition was not a game, nor was it something to enjoy. It was merely another job - a task on her list. She would handle it piece by piece until completion. This is how she approached all of her goals, and the tactic has yet to fail her. But it had yet to see her to a true rise to greatness. All she wanted was to get back to her orrery, and this was the best course of action. The competition was simply a hurdle to jump. 

She tensed at the sound of his voice, despite the facade of calm he’d put on. Distrust crept in to her heart every time Suraj appeared. There was no reason in particular for it, other than an undeniable instinct that told her to escape. For some reason, in his presence, she felt like prey. 

“I am thinking a lot of things,” she said, voice low and steady, as she refused to turn to look at him, “I would never confine myself to one possible course of action. But thank you for the offer anyway, I shall extend the same courtesy to you.” 

[astroventor]

monikadabral​:

Despite her initial regret for her own complacency, the night’s events had Monika increasingly grateful that she had chosen to remain a spectator– the price of power had frightened her, for in many ways, she was still a stranger to this world, to this palace. Her claws and teeth were only just forming, not nearly sharp enough to match the perfectly-honed weapons of those around her and perhaps, they never would be. The pond, however, seemed to be the perfect reprieve for Monika to gather her thoughts, however she quickly realized her idea to escape the chaos of the dining hall was not entirely her’s alone. 

“I suppose it would certainly be a bold choice, if not an entertaining one,” Monika muses with a low chuckle, following Vanya’s eye line to the murky water. She knew little of the woman she stood beside, only that she had been the creator of the palace’s great orrery. It had been quite the talk of the palace courtiers when she had first arrived and Monika could only imagine what knowledge it must take to create such an invention. She, too, knew of stars– mostly for navigation, should she ever get lost at sea, but as her eyes move from the dark, depths of the water to the clear night sky, she could not help but wonder what her own future may hold.

“I imagine it’s fair assume that the ideal scenario involves no destruction,” Monika tries, a small smile forming on her lips, “Have you any thoughts on slightly less destructive methods?”

If this competition was a battle, and the palace merely the coliseum in which the fighting would take place, Vanya was none the wiser. While the others sharpened their claws and bared their fangs, Vanya was like a flightless bird: too distracted looking up to notice the potential predators around her. There was only one contender she worried about, Suraj, and she was keeping her distance. All the rest were inconsequential to her. Pride and naivety making her dismissive of the fact that she had plenty to fear. 

Vanya offered a quick side glance and small smile, “I should hope that the maharani respects boldness above all else, because I’m not sure I have much more to offer.” The woman seemed kind enough, and Vanya was glad for cordial conversation surrounding the challenge. Any other type of conversation left Vanya at a loss for words. “I have plenty of ideas. But all of them pose their own risks. Have you begun to theorize as well?” 

[astroventor]

TASK 001: VANYA ARJUN

Sociability: 5 

Intelligence: 30 

Deception: 5 

Creativity: 25 

Physical Strength: 15 

Synergy: 5 

Courage: 10 

Empathy: 5 

Total: 100

[astroventor]

OPEN TO ALL

Despite the fact that Vanya had lived at the palace for six years during her time creating the orrery, it still felt grand and unwelcoming to her. Through no fault of the guards or the other palace residents, Vanya never quite felt like she belonged.  She was thankful, at least, to have the thoughts of the statue to distract her. She already had plenty of theories of how to acquire it, but the trick was finding the time to test them without anyone else watching over her shoulder. 

For now, she was content to pace by her favorite pond and think. She hoped that most of the tasks would be like this: thinking based. It was her strongest asset after all: her mind. Staring over the murky green water, she watched a shadow approach from behind and pause when it got near. Stopping mid-stride, Vanya did not turn, instead she just raised her head and spoke, “Do you think it will be considered unfavorable if I destroy the scroll in my pursuit to read it?” 

[astroventor]

                                     ♕ ＢＡＳＩＣＳ ♕                                        

name: Vanya Arjun

age: 32

gender/pronouns: Cis Female; She/Her

occupation: Inventor

competitor: Yes

fc: Freida Pinto

status: Taken by Kay

                           ♕ ＤＥＳＣＲＩＰＴＩＯＮ ♕                          

There’s something of a time-telling machine that sits in the middle of the palace, tracking time as it slips through your fingers far faster than you’d like. It’s a curious thing of your very own design, far more complex than any other device the kingdom has ever seen. But you saw it, you saw it long ago in your mind, just as you could see a pattern to everything, a rhythm to life. Your feet and hands never seemed to be able to keep up with your mind as you desperately attempted to bring your ideas to fruition, drudging away in your workshop with no end in sight. Armed with your wits alone, you made discoveries, devised formulas, and conceived plans, the likes of which the world had never seen. And yet somehow, fulfillment has never crossed your mind. The way you live is all-consuming, but you’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge. You seek nothing more than to be better than yourself, so when your memory and legacy are lost to the future, you hope you’ve left behind something worthy enough to outlast time itself. 

                           ♕ ＣＯＮＮＥＣＴＩＯＮＳ ♕                          

jnana - mutual understanding - Somewhere between odd jobs and requests for strange favors, you’ve grown to care for them for quite deeply. From an early age you made peace with the fact that you would always be walking a lonely road, but it’s comforting to know that your path isn’t always so forsaken. 

citta - former teacher -  They have always been a source of guidance for you, a window into a world of deeper knowledge. They’ve nurtured you and your mind for many years which is why you know their advice is always well-meant. Still, you can’t help but wish they had more faith in your ability to handle yourself. 

kama - fear -  They have a way of twisting words that unnerves you deeply and thus, when they offered you their hand, you took it as a form of self-preservation. You don’t fully know what they want with you, but you doubt they are particularly interested in your own well-being. 

[astroventor]

Freida Pinto by David Roemer for Vanity Fair Italy (November 2018)