Susan Anderson: A fiercely patriotic glass cannon with a talent for lying through her teeth.

Ter landia (via their DU colony)
Michael P. Morbius: A cunning tactician and renowned author on all things supernatural. 22

Sparticus McDougal: A swashbuckling pirate-turned-privateer who excels against multiple opponents. 15

Onomanatopoeia
Old Man Gasket: A charmingly blunt old man with a knack for cooking.

Dave: Literally just some guy selected for the hunger games by random drawing.

Dirmia
Klava Kaov: A resilient wayfarer who prefers to face danger head on. 17

Nikolai Sonnet: A patient sniper trained to act before targets know he's there. 19

Seralo
Jim "The Jimster" Jim: A corrupt mayor and skilled ambusher. 14

Rich Rich: A cutthroat businessman who isnt afraid to get his hands dirty. 21

Lustizania
Corvin Mercer: A lone-wolf monk skilled in hand-to-hand combat.

Lilly Vasta: An "experimental" junkie looking to feel something.

Chatgptara
Jax Carleson: A sadistic hunter who takes pleasure in the suffering of others.

Gin Orsladaxt: A sociopathic entertainer who manipulates his enemies into sabotaging themselves. 23

Cat is cool
Mittens McGregor: A cat with knives. 20

George Irving: A wise historian with an extensive knowledge of the games themselves.

National Mu
Korporal Julia Krewel: A resourceful marine and a fierce fighter.

Major Lira Panway: A tactful officer with a sharp aim and a sharper mind.

The swifter warriors
Mia Rosethorn: A swift and clever archer with an affinity for nature.

Nyx Blightair: A remorseless serial killer who prefers to overwhelm opponents with brute force. 16

Anthropoelpis
Paul Michelet: A careful scientist who takes calculated risks.

Nahrashur
Wiktor Smolak: A relentless brute with unmatched strength. 18

Chuzzbab: A resourceful survivalist who uses the environment to gain the advantage.

After a little over a week, every contestant has been shipped to the arena. They've been undergoing training and have all been briefed on the game. This morning, each contestant was sedated voluntarily, with the exception of Wiktor Smolak, who didn't go under after one dose of our tranquilizer and had to be restrained.

The contestants were each moved to a random location in the arena and awoke to the sound of cannon fire in the distance. Everyone begins their initial preparations for the long fight ahead.

Ezra Tolliver is dropped in our new and improved desert area. He expresses annoyance at his luck already failing him, then picks a direction and walks.

Susan Anderson is dropped in the middle of a valley. She takes inventory and straps her shield to her right arm. She then begins climbing out of the valley.

Mia Rosethorn finds herself in a field of white roses. She smiles at the irony as she carefully maneuvers away from the flowers without being pricked by their thorns. She then counts her arrows and surveys the surrounding area, and quickly spots a treeline, towards which she begins walking.

Nyx Blightair wakes up in the middle of a forest. He takes inventory and begins walking east, greataxe in hand.

Klava Kaov is dropped at the top of a large hill. She hikes down the hill, using her hiking stick for support.

Nikolai Sonnet finds himself at the edge of the forest. He notes his current location in his journal and begins searching for a vantage point.

Michael P. Morbius wakes up next to a valley. He looks into the valley and sees a river running through it flowing south. He decides to gather water from the river in his water purifier.

Sparticus McDougal wakes up near the southwestern edge of the arena in a field. He decides to walk north along the wall, keeping an eye out for resources.

Old Man Gasket wakes up in the desert area. He expresses annoyance, then picks a direction and walks.

Dave finds himself next to a large rock slightly larger than himself. He looks kind of confused and checks his cell phone, but it's dead. He is somewhat relieved when he discovers that he still has his briefcase.

Jim "The Jimster" Jim is dropped next to a river at the bottom of a valley. He checks his bag to make sure he hasn't lost his beef jerky. He then begins walking against the flow of the river, watching for the supply drops he heard about.

Rich Rich wakes up at the shore of a sizable lake. His face contorts in disgust at the pristine water. He leaves the lake and begins searching for a place to hide while he thinks of a strategy.

Korporal Julia Krewil finds herself in a clearing in the dead center of the arena. In the middle of this clearing is a statue of the previous winner, Maximillian Von Blitzkrieg. She admires the statue for a moment before checking her compass and heading southwest into the forest.

Major Lira Panway wakes up at the edge of a cliff overlooking the forest. Pleased by her lucky drop location, she stays where she is surveils the forest, looking for movement. There is none.

Corvin Mercer is dropped in the forest next to a particularly tall pine tree. He takes a moment to admire the tree before taking out his flute. He stands still for a moment as he considers what to do, and then plays a short melody. He lets the sound reverberate for a moment before repeating the melody.

Lilly Vasta awakens at the edge of the forest. She is slow to stand up and is suffering from a mild headache. She hears Corvin's flute melody, and after a few seconds, recognizes it as his signal. She slowly makes her way towards the sound.

Mittens McGregor is dropped near a lake. He immediately spots Rich on the other side of the lake. He doesn't approach, but he does keep an amused eye on him as the businessman tries to set up a camp of sorts.

George Irving finds himself right next to a sizable cave entrance near the forest. He checks his surroundings to confirm nobody else is around, then enters the cave. It's spacious enough to set up a base, though he must first find resources. He knows, from personal study, that the forest is home to many deer. He decides to head towards the forest to hunt, bow in hand.

Paul Michelet wakes up to the smell of swamp water, and quickly discovers that he was dropped in a swamp. He curses under his breath as he gets his bearings. He hears faint a flute melody towards the west and warily makes his way towards the sound.

Wiktor Smolak groggily awakens to find himself next to a large sinkhole. He decides to try and descend into the sinkhole, thinking that there may be something of interest down there.

Chuzzbab is dropped between the desert area and a field. He scans the horizon for any signs of forestation, and upon finding none, decides to walk towards the field.

Jax Carleson awakens next to a river. He sits up and pulls out his journal, filled with notes on his opponents. He sits by the river and begins plotting something sinister.

Gin Orsladaxt finds himself deep in the forest. A wicked grin curls across his face as he spots a rabbit approaching him curiously. Without hesitation, he lunges at the rabbit and strangles it. He then begins preparing it for consumption.

Friday Morning

The sun rose this morning only to be blotted out by a cloudy sky, casting a foreboding shadow over the arena.
Corvin Mercer is signaling with his flute again, in hopes of contacting Lilly. His incense is burning, causing a relaxed and meditative state.
Not too far to the south, we find Lilly Vasta making her way through the overgrown woods, wishing she had brought a machete. Her head is ringing, but she can tell that she's getting closer to the signals. She pauses for a moment and rubs her head, then presses onward.

Meanwhile, Paul Michelet is also following the flute signals, his socks still damp from wading through the swamp. As he approaches the source of the noise, he readies his bow and affixes an electronic visor. Treading lightly, he comes up on a particularly large tree. He notices a warm and aromatic smell, not unlike the scent of cinnamon. He is about to approach the large tree and confront the source of the music when he hears a rustling to his right and reflexively gets as low to the ground as he can.
Lilly pushes her way through the dense vegetation in a rather violent manner, unaware that she just passed Paul. She calls out, and the flute music abruptly stops. A moment of silence passes, and Corvin appears from behind the tree.

It is at this point that we realize we should have put microphones on the contestants.

Corvin and Lilly begin talking. They appear glad to see each other, though. The conversation is short-lived, however, as Corvin leaves in search of resources, leaving Lilly at the big tree. She appears relaxed by the incense and sits by the big tree to rest a while.
Paul is still prone, considering his options. On one hand, he could try to take Lilly out right here, but on the other hand, it might be worth trying to form an alliance with her.
Paul decides it's worth a shot. He slowly stands up, bow lowered, and says hello. Lilly immediately draws her shiv and holds it defensively, but Paul drops his bow and puts his hands up. He tells her that he has no ill intentions and is only looking to form an alliance. Lilly pauses a moment, then lowers her shiv, relieved to have already made an ally.

Meanwhile, Wiktor Smolak has made it all the way to the bottom of the sinkhole. Sure enough, he discovers a small bag of throwing knives.

Dave wakes up with a start and takes a second to remember that he's not in his normal civilian apartment. He ensures he still has his briefcase. Remembering something he read online once, he starts looking for a source of fresh water.

Old Man Gasket has made his way out of the desert and comes up on a hill. He decides to rest a moment, then he begins looking for something to eat. He doesn't have to look long, and finds a small lake a short distance from the hill. He decides that one way or another he was going to catch a fish, so he puts a little bit of his food seasoning in the water and spends the next hour standing very still. Eventually, a trout meanders towards him. He pulls out a cast-iron pan and whacks the fish, killing it in one hit. Feeling accomplished, he spends the next while preparing and cooking the fish, using a special blend of seasoning and his reserve of cooking oil.

Saturday Morning

Mia Rosethorn has been walking for a while. Over the past two days, she found a patch of prickly pears, which she was able to dethorn and eat.
She makes her way to a river near some hills. The area is lightly speckled with small trees, their leaves orange and red. Mia takes a moment to admire the foliage.
Meanwhile, Gin Orsladaxt is just now leaving the forest. His clothes are already stained with the blood of several small animals. He comes across a river and begins following it, thinking that other contestants may have the same idea. It's not long before he spots Mia A few hundred yards downstream. He lightens his steps and draws a large butcher's cleaver as he slowly approaches, staying low and using trees for cover.
Mia is sitting by the river, taking a well deserved rest as she tips some of her arrows with the vial of snake venom she carries. She stands up and scans her surroundings. For a moment, she thinks she sees something moving in the distance. Not wanting to take any chances, she finds a nearby tree and climbs up it with impressive speed. She sits perched on a branch, bow drawn, as she watches for movement.

Gin knows he's been spotted when he sees his target scramble up a tree. Undeterred, he decides to change his tactics. He sheathes his cleaver and puts his hands up, then calls out. He says he does not mean to harm anyone and that he just wants to talk.
Mia is caught off guard by the offer as a feeling of relief washes over her. Warily, she responds. She asks if the person is armed. Gin says that he is not, and says to call him Grin. Mia replies with her own name, then she uses her rope to descend the tree.
They talk for a while, sharing stories from their home nations. Gin acts indifferent, but Mia is slightly concerned by what he says. Eventually, Mia sits back down by the river and watches it flow. Gin realizes this is his chance and draws his cleaver. He checks behind his shoulder to ensure nobody is watching, then raises his cleaver. However, as he turns around, he finds Mia to be gone. Mia has maneuvered a few yards away from Gin and draws her bow, poisoned arrow pointed at Gin's heart. He tries to explain himself, but Mia doesn't give him a second chance and looses her arrow into his chest. He collapses as the venom enters his bloodstream.

Gin Orsladaxt has been eliminated. 22 contestants remain.

Sunday Evening
Rich Rich, being watched by Mittens, has constructed a primitive lean-to shelter against a tree. He sits here a while and ponders how he might pollute this lake as quickly as possible. He is about to stand up and take a lap around the lake when he notices a plume of smoke a good distance away. He decides to approach.
In the distance, Old Man Gasket is sauteing some herbs he found to use as a side dish for the fish he caught when he notices a rather large individual approaching from the lake. He smiles to himself, expecting to share a meal with this person. Rich continues to approach Gasket, who calls out to him and offers a bite of his fish.Taken aback by the surprising gesture of friendship, Rich happily obliges. In no time, the two of them are exchanging jokes and laughing as they sit by the pot.

Meanwhile, Nikolai Sonnet has grown tired of the lack of results from his spot overlooking the forest and begins searching for a new location. He's hungry as well, so he decides to first head into the forest in search of food. He skillfully descends the cliff, only nearly slipping once.

Ezra Tolliver has, finally, found a way out of the desert area. He was able to harvest some juice from a cactus using his wolverine claws to puncture a hole and dethorn an area for drinking.
He now finds himself walking through a field, approaching the forest at the center of the arena, feeling confident about being back in his preferred environment.

Wiktor Smolak, now armed with throwing knives, ascends the sinkhole. As he pulls himself over the ledge, he finds himself standing face-to-face with a rather surprised Sparticus McDougal, who jumps back and draws his cutlasses defensively. Wiktor interprets this as a challenge, promptly pulls out a spiked shield, and even more promptly charges McDougal, who swiftly sidesteps. He then responds with an attack of his own, slashing at Wiktor's heels in hopes of rendering him immobile. Wiktor is moving faster than he had accounted for, however, and outruns the swords. He turns around, now furious. He draws a massive warhammer from his back and begins swinging rampant, obliterating patches of earth as he slowly approaches his target, the momentum of each swing pulling him forward. McDougal is able to easily walk backwards, but quickly finds himself at the edge of the sinkhole. Thinking quickly, he decides to wait for the right moment. A second later, Wiktor is right on McDougal. He swings at him in a wide horizontal sweep, but McDougal ducks, rolls away, and trips Wiktor, who teeters over the edge and tumbles down the sinkhole.
Wiktor sustains several injuries, but he manages to survive the fall to the bottom. He begins fiddling with his first aid kit and manages to patch up some of his more serious wounds. If only he had remembered that he had throwing knives.
McDougal takes a moment to peer over the ledge, unable to tell if Wiktor survived the fall. He decides it's not worth it to stick around, so he heads south.

Monday Afternoon
Corvin, after hunting for a couple of days, managed to trap a few rabbits for him and Lilly. He makes his way back to the large tree with his catch. Meanwhile, Lilly and Paul are both sitting on opposite sides of the tree, resting after constructing a crude shelter on the tree itself. Lilly might be asleep. At this time, Corvin emerges from the trees and freezes as he sees Paul. A split-second later, he drops the rabbits and has his foot pressed against Paul's throat, cutting off his airway. Lilly hears the scuffle and stands up, a bit bewildered, and sees what's happening. She shouts at Corvin to stop and that Paul is an ally, gesturing to the shelter that they built. Corvin, still pinning Paul to the tree, examines the shelter. He then releases Paul, who gasps for breath and gives Corvin a dirty look.
Corvin gives Lilly the rabbits he caught and tells her that he needs to leave. He says his farewells and promptly heads off through the forest.

Meanwhile, Nyx Blightair has been chopping down trees. He's managed to create a clearing and has used the logs to construct a sturdy shelter. He's sitting on a tree stump for a moment to catch his breath when he hears a blood-curdling howl. A moment later, a pack of three wolves slowly emerges from the forest surrounding him. Nyx smiles and raises his axe. The wolves stare him down, growling, and he stares back.
One wolf lunges at Nyx from behind. He hears it coming and is able to react, sidestepping. The wolf loses its balance and eats dirt, then quickly loses its head courtesy of Nyx's axe. He then turns towards the other two wolves, brandishing his axe, which is freshly coated in blood. Both wolves lunge at him simultaneously. Nyx is able to bury his axe in the neck of one wolf, but the second wolf clamps its jaw onto his right arm. Nyx yells in pain, then draws a handaxe with his other arm. He swings this handaxe at the wolf, burying it in its skull. Nyx wrenches his arm free and takes another moment to catch his breath. He then spends the next hour skinning the wolves, using their hides to somewhat bandage his wounded arm. He also manages to create a wolf hide coat.

Monday Evening
On the other end of the arena, George Irving is returning to his cave empty-handed. He tried to catch a deer in the forest, but it scrambled away just as he was about to release his arrow. Fortunately, he came prepared. He pulls out a bag of fish he brought with him. They are about to rot, so he starts a small fire and cooks them to eat.

Meanwhile, Chuzzbab is still walking. He comes up on a large rock formation near the forest. He decides to explore it, since what else was there to do? He somehow hadn't seen a single other soul over the past few days, which he was only slightly annoyed about. Approaching the rocks, he discovers a cave entrance with a faint orange light shining within. He readies his crossbow and slowly enters, wondering if he had come across a person.

George is startled by the figure standing at the mouth of his cave. He is in the middle of cooking a fish, but the surprise causes him to fling the fish across the cave. Chuzzbab, lowering his crossbow, laughs heartily. He introduces himself, and George warily replies with his own name. He explains that he is struggling with hunting and could use some help. Chuzzbab lights up at this. He tells George that he is actually a trail guide back in Nahrashur. He says that he's willing to share some of his canned food and teach George how to hunt in exchange for permission to use the cave as a base. George is ecstatic at the offer and wholeheartedly agrees. The two shake hands and begin talking strategy.

Tuesday Afternoon

Michael P. Morbius has been walking along a river, watching with great interest as it slowly becomes a small meandering stream as he walks, then gradually becomes a rushing rapid again. He's gathered a decent amount of berries to sustain himself. Michael pauses suddenly as his attention is stolen by something shiny in the river. He gets down on his knees and examines the object closely. It appears to be some sort of container, though he can't make out the details under the water. He sighs and hesitates before reaching into the cold water and retrieving the object, discovering it to be a first aid kit.
Michael's satisfaction is short-lived as he feels a sudden pain in his back and is knocked into the stream.
He slowly sits up and turns around to see Jax Carleson standing behind him, brandishing a butcher's knife. Michael scrambles for his own knife, but Jax is on him too quickly; he kicks Michael over and pins his arm to the riverbed with his foot. Michael's head is now entirely underwater. He struggles against Jax, but it's futile. The rushing water is making it impossible to gain any sort of leverage. Out of panic, Michael takes a reflexive breath and finds his lungs filled with water. Jax laughs maniacally until Michael stops struggling and goes limp. Jax takes the time to take his water purifier before letting his body drift down the river.

Michael P. Morbius has been eliminated. 21 contestants remain.

Wednesday Morning

The morning kicks off with a thick fog rolling in from the forest, significantly reducing visibility.

Major Lira Panway, still camped on the cliff overlooking the forest, finds her visibility gone. She deems her current vantage point useless. Using the fog for cover, she carefully descends the cliff and begins moving toward the forest.

Korporal Julia Krewel finds a secluded pond. She decides that the fog provides enough cover for her to stop and fish for a while. Using her entrenching tool, she carves a few spears from sticks to fish with.

Jim is still following the river upstream. The river leads him into a valley. The fog makes it especially hard to see here, so Jim keeps his eyes on the river. He suddenly stumbles as he trips on something half-buried in the mud.
He drops to his knees and begins digging the object out, regrettably getting his hands muddy. He manages to unearth a small locked box, and upon realizing that it is locked, he groans in disappointment and stows it in his bag.

Dave has fruitlessly been searching the forest for resources, and the fog isn't helping. Along with his hunger grows his frustration, and he kicks a rock in anger. The rock doesn't budge, causing Dave to stub his toe and yell out in pain.

The shriek of agony carries for hundreds of yards, reaching the ears of Ezra Tolliver. He begins making his way towards the noise, smiling, planning to easily take out a wounded target.

Dave quickly recovers from his toe injury, stopping a moment to ensure that it isn't broken. He then crouches down to examine the rock with an apparent grudge against him. His eyes widen as he realizes that this isn't a rock at all, but a supply crate half-buried in the forest soil. What luck! Dave begins removing dirt from around the crate, slowly unearthing the package. He's so absorbed by the crate that he doesn't hear the branch falling nearby.
Ezra is maneuvering through the treetops, zeroing in on Dave's location. This isn't difficult, since Dave is making a lot of noise trying to pry the crate open with his car keys. Ezra finally acquires a visual on his target, although the visual is faint due to the fog permeating the air. He sits perched, silent, in a tree directly above Dave. Out from custom mechanisms on Ezra's wrists slide twin sets of sharp, claw-like blades, extending well past his knuckles.

Dave is now trying to bash the crate open with his surprisingly sturdy briefcase, growing increasingly frustrated with every failed attempt. He prepares a last, desperate blow, raising his briefcase and leaning his head slightly forward to aim. This is Ezra's cue. He drops, a blur in the fog, claws pointed at the back of Dave's neck. But as Ezra drops, Dave delivers his final briefcase slam. The crate finally yields to his rage and pops open, spraying Dave with wood chips and splinters. He rears back reflexively, raising his briefcase to shield his eyes. Ezra's claws, which were aimed for the back of his prey's neck only half a second ago, tear into the briefcase. His momentum causes him to fly past Dave and into the dirt.
Ezra quickly springs up, only mildly scraped from his tumble. Dave scrambles backward and stares blankly at the figure attacking him, failing to process the situation. Ezra knows that the element of surprise is gone. He's learned from his past experience in the previous games to not underestimate opponents. He makes the quick decision to retreat and dashes into the forest, using the fog as cover.

Dave takes another minute to process what just happened. He slowly lowers his briefcase, which is mangled but still intact, and turns towards the supply crate. Inside is a large jug of purified water and a single pineapple.

Thursday Afternoon
Happy Thanksgiving to my Americans here.

The fog continues to permeate the arena, especially the forest. Klava Kaov has been hiking through a small depression parallel to the forest's edge in hopes of finding either resources or other contestants. It's quiet, the only sounds being the damp crinkling of fallen leaves and as she walks.
She notices a figure in the distance. Faint at first, all she can make out is the hazy form of a person. Klava takes a defensive stance as she approaches, ready to bash any threats with her hiking stick. As she closes the distance, she is able to discern further details. The person is armed with a large bladed and spiked shield, and apparently nothing else. Klava recognizes this person as Susan Anderson, one of the Sylvanian contestants.

Klava calls out and challenges her to an honorable fight. Susan replies, saying that she'd much prefer to join forces, especially this early on in the game.

Klava, in all honesty, didn't expect friendliness, but is nonetheless relieved. She lowers her guard and continues her approach towards Susan, who remains completely motionless. As she walks, she begins to notice that Susan is unnaturally still. Klava slows her pace, fixed on Susan, still hazy in the fog.

Klava is about ten yards away when Susan suddenly flickers out of existence in a flash of holographic light. Klava reels back from the confusion and raises her hiking stick. She spins in a slow, defensive circle, her mind still trying to process where Susan went. It is in this moment of confusion that Klava feels a sudden pain in her back as something slams into her from behind. She stumbles only a moment before turning towards her assailant. It's Susan, grinning, her bladed shield raised offensively. Klava feels unnecessarily offended by this immediate betrayal and swings at Susan. The blow is blocked with ease, and Susan takes a step back. She turns her shield so that it's level with the ground and hurls it at Klava, who is not at all prepared for the sudden ranged attack. The blade of the shield cuts into her side. Any lesser competitor would have been sliced in half, but Klava is able to withstand the blow and is only knocked back. The shield falls to the floor, leaving a sizable gash in her abdomen. Susan, realizing that the fight did not end immediately, scowls at her adversary and circles her, intent on recovering her only weapon. Klava realizes that her opponent is unarmed and rushes, swinging her stick in a wide arc. Susan tries to evade, but she is too slow. The stick connects squarely in her jaw. Susan may be a devastating attacker, but she is surprisingly fragile. The blow sends her backwards and she falls down into the grass. She manages to get her bearings quickly enough to roll away from Klava's second strike. Susan scrambles to her feet and rushes towards her shield. Klava tries to pursue, but the wound in her side makes it difficult to move quickly. Susan retrieves her weapon, holding the shield defensively as she spits out a mouthful of blood.

The two circle each other slowly. Susan prepares to throw her shield again. Klava raises her hiking stick defensively. Susan suddenly changes her stance and rushes towards Klava, surprising her yet again. The spiked end of Susan's shield bypasses Klava's unprepared defense and pierces her abdomen just above her prior cut. She shouts, partly in pain, but mostly in rage. She drops her hiking stick, pulls out a small dagger, and stabs Susan in her side. She yells and reflexively releases her shield to clutch her side, dagger still embedded. Klava uses this moment to forcefully tear the shield from her body, causing a surge of pain strong enough to make her fall to her knees. Susan slowly removes the dagger, avoiding further injury. Klava tries to stand up, but her wounds are too grievous. Susan, too, is heavily injured.

Rather than attacking, she calls for a truce. Between heavy breaths, she informs Klava that she has a first-aid-kit with bandages in it. She tells her that she's willing to reconsider an alliance. Klava is desperate and quietly agrees. Susan pulls out her first aid kit and begins tending to her own wound first, then approaches Klava, who tells her that she possesses a bag of herbs capable of stopping bleeding. Susan reaches into Klava's bag and retrieves the medicine, which they both consume. The bleeding slowed, they both utilize Susan's first-aid-kit to bandage their wounds. Susan and Klava are now stable, but must rest.

Friday Evening

Old Man Gasket and Rich Rich are sitting by a smoldering campfire. Gasket is cleaning up his cooking supplies while Rich gripes about the lack of investment opportunities in the jungle. Gasket is only half listening, whistling an off-key tune he made up last night. In the shrubs nearby is Mittens McGregor, silently watching the two. He's grown bored and has decided to take them both out. He just needs the right moment to present itself.

The moment presents itself when Rich crouches down to tie his shoe after getting the laces caught on a patch of roots. In a blur, Mittens dashes from the brush, the hilt of a dagger between his teeth. Not even a second passes by before he is nearly upon Rich, dagger slashing towards his neck. Old Man Gasket sees the assault before Rich and reacts instantly, swinging his frying pan towards the small animal in a low golf-club sweep. Mittens didn't count on the old man being so agile. He's forced to abandon his attack and dodge the cast-iron skillet. Mittens leaps back, narrowly avoiding the attack, and scrambles next to the campfire, hissing. Gasket uses his momentum to perform a precise downward swing. Mittens leaps to the side, and, still targeting Rich, dashes behind Gasket towards his original target. Rich has only just processed the encounter and turns to face Mittens a moment too late. Mittens pounces, and the dagger glides cleanly across Rich's throat. Rich collapses immediately, hitting the ground like a fat kid in a jungle gym.

Mittens is now airborne and has calculated his trajectory so that he lands on a rock next to the lake. His plans are interrupted by a now enraged Gasket, who makes a sudden pivot and swings his pan upwards. The skillet connects with the small animal mid trajectory with a reverberating clang, and Mittens is launched in the air at blinding speeds. Gasket prepares for the cat to hit the ground next to him, but he just keeps going. His light weight causes him to fly over the south wall of the arena. He lands safely in an abandoned warehouse of pillows with only a headache. Minutes later, our officials arrive to retrieve him and transport him back to his home. Since he's left the arena, he will be considered eliminated. No, we won't elaborate. It was hard enough understanding how he was able to use weapons anyways.

Gasket watches the small animal disappear somewhere into the stratosphere and turns towards the corpse of his fallen cooking buddy. He sighs, and without hesitation, begins to rummage through the pockets. He retrieves a very expensive watch, a first aid kit, a small bell, and an ancient knife. He then drags the body to the lake and tosses it in.
We retrieved the body later that night for revival.
Rich Rich and Mittens McGregor have been eliminated. 19 contestants remain.

Saturday Morning

The fog is beginning to clear out, allowing contestants to see clearly again.

Korporal Julia Krewel is spear fishing in a secluded pond with great success. She’s been utilizing the natural cover of the ferns to conceal herself. She’s managed to catch and eat enough fish to sustain her for a while.

The fishing is interrupted by the snapping of a twig somewhere behind her. Julia freezes, relying on the ferns to keep her hidden. Her military training has taught her, when trying to hide, to stay low, remain completely still, and be silent.

Julia remains still even as a mosquito lands on her neck, which is already stiff. She can hear faint footsteps approaching, dense and muted through the still damp forest soil. The steps, measured, heavy, and irregular, clearly belong to a trained individual.

Major Lira Panway comes up on a clearing in the forest, home to a small pond. She notices a small pile of fish bones, and next to that she spots a discarded spear carved out of a branch. Lira paces back and forth as she surveys the pond, looking for signs of disturbance. Someone is obviously here, though she isn’t sure who yet. She pauses when she notices an unloaded Muan battlerifle with a fixed bayonet.

Lira calls out, addressing Julia by her title. Julia, recognizing Lira’s voice, lets out a long sigh of relief as she emerges from her hiding place. She salutes briefly and then retrieves her unloaded rifle and spears. Lira and Julia then begin exchanging information on the other contestants and discuss strategy. They plan to tactically sweep the forest come nightfall and pick off any easy targets.

Sunday Evening

Wiktor Smolak has recovered from his fall into the sinkhole and is ascending from the pit a second time, now with a burning vendetta on McDougal. He's been practicing with his throwing knives while recovering and has become almost decent at aiming. As he clambers over the top, he realizes that he has no idea where his assailant went. He decides to head south.

Corvin Mercer has been surviving in the forest by scavenging for fruit. He is interrupted by a sudden rustling in the distance. He immediately takes cover among the shrubs and listens. A short distance away emerges Julia and Lira. Julia is in front, using her unloaded rifle like a spear. Behind her is Lira, crossbow at the ready as she surveys the area looking for signs of other contestants. Her gaze is drawn by a small movement in a nearby bush. She silently signals to Julia and gestures toward the bush.

Corvin is pretty sure at this point that whoever just emerged from the trees have figured out his hiding place. As slowly and quietly as he is able, he pulls out a smoke grenade and prepares to pull the pin at the first sign of hostility.

Julia is the first to speak up, authoritatively telling Corvin to show himself. He obliges and carefully stands up to face them, one hand behind his back. Lira raises her crossbow, ready to take out an easy target. Corvin notices this, interprets it as aggression, and triggers his smoke grenade. Instantaneously, the area is filled with a heavy cloud of smoke. Both Lira and Julia hold their breath, unsure if the gas is toxic. Corvin uses the opportunity to sprint away and escape.

Lira and Julia slowly make their way out of the cloud of smoke and look for signs of where Corvin went. Upon finding nothing, Lira curses and orders Julia to continue the sweep, intending to find him later.

Christmas music is now legal.

Monday Morning

Old Man Gasket, now without a cooking buddy, is wandering along the forest's edge looking for something to do. Just as he finishes the last of his leftover food, he comes across a peculiar formation of rocks. He approaches, eyeing the rocks with curiosity. As he gets closer, he realizes that there is a small cave within the rock formation. He carefully enters the cave, pan at the ready. Upon further inspection, he discovers a campsite. In the middle of the cave floor is a smoldering campfire, apparently only recently extinguished. Near the far wall is a pile of empty tin cans that still smell of preserved poultry.

Gasket decides to rest here for a while, reasoning that whoever used this cave will be back soon, hopefully with food. He plans to offer his culinary expertise to whoever shows up in exchange for a place to sleep.

Nearby in the forest, George is receiving hunting lessons from Chuzzbab. He's picking it up quickly and is following Chuzzbab's lead, who is hot on the trail of a large animal. George, believes they are tracking a black bear, since the species tend to live in dense forests such as this one. Suddenly Chuzzbab stops in his tracks. George nearly bumps into him. In a small clearing is a rather large black bear feasting on some berries, slightly quartering away from the hunters. Chuzzbab smiles at George and gestures for him to take the shot.

George is filled with excitement. He slowly draws his bow, doing his best to control his breathing. He aims for a spot behind the bear's shoulder about halfway up the body. According to his calculations (🤓), an accurate shot there will most likely hit the lungs and drop the bear quickly. He takes another moment to breathe and steady his aim. The bear raises its head from the berry bush. George fires the arrow. It flies silently towards the bear and hits it slightly higher than George intended. The arrowhead is buried a few inches behind the shoulder and punctures the bear's right lung. It roars and begins running away from George and Chuzzbab. It doesn't get far before collapsing at the edge of the clearing. Chuzzbab slaps George on the back, and the two go to retrieve their prey.

Lilly Vasta and Paul Michelet are awakened by the roaring of a large animal not too far from their tree shelter. Paul breaks out his encyclopedia and begins leafing through the pages. Lilly watches curiously. Paul stops on a particular page and reads for a second, then informs Lilly that he's pretty sure the roar was a bear. He says that it sounds like someone just shot themself a good meal. Lilly thinks for a moment, then suggests pursuing the noise. Bears are large, and surely one person couldn't eat all of it. Maybe they'd be willing to share. Paul is hesitant at the idea, but seeing that they are out of food, he decides that it's worth a shot. Besides, they probably have the number advantage if things went south. The two gather their weapons and head in the direction of the noise.

Monday Afternoon

After shooting a few rabbits, Nikolai Sonnet decides to head back to his vantage point. He is carefully trekking through the forest when he hears crunching leaves nearby. He immediately falls prone, crossbow ready, relying on the fallen leaves to conceal his position.

Not too far away, Lira and Julia are continuing to sweep the forest to little success. Lira is growing more frustrated with every hour lost with no signs of life. Julia is still taking point, holding the front line with her bayoneted rifle. She passes right by Nikolai without noticing. Nikolai remains motionless for a few minutes before rising to his knees. He turns in the direction Julia went and aims his crossbow. He quickly gets a visual on her, easy enough with the help of his custom scope attachment.

Lira, however, knows something is amiss about the fallen leaves, and stays behind while Julia goes ahead. The moment Nikolai emerges from his hiding spot, Lira has her crossbow trained on him. Without a second thought, she fires a bolt at the back of his head. Nikolai's game is cut short by a crossbow bolt through the neck.

Nikolai Sonnet has been eliminated. 18 contestants remain.

Tuesday Morning

Jax Carleson has been spending his time gathering materials. He's already gathered a good amount of twine and has sharpened a few sticks. At the moment, he is walking along the river in search of Gin's body. He was disappointed when he heard of his death. It would have been fun to watch him cause problems for a little longer. Though his mood was turned around when he heard of Nikolai's elimination. One less threat to worry about, leaving him more space to work. He needs to pick up the pace, however. He only has one kill under his belt.

Jax spots an irregular lump in the riverbed. He leans down and realizes that it is a small leather bag tied shut with twine. He carefully reaches down and retrieves the bag, which was stuck between two rocks. It dislodges easily enough, though. Jax notices that the bag is labeled with Gin's name. It must have been left when officials recovered the body. He opens the bag, grins, then closes the bag. He slips it into his pocket and makes his way back to his camp, smiling the whole way.

Lilly and Paul are surely gaining on whoever shot that bear. Paul is leading the way, clearly excited as he shoves branches and large leaves aside. Lilly is following behind, trying to make sense of the path they were taking. She isn't sure if they are going in circles, but Paul seems to know what he's doing.

It's not long before they catch up to something. Near the forest's edge, Paul stops. He spots two individuals attempting to haul a large animal through the forest, clearly fatigued. He turns to Lilly and whispers, asking if she knows them. She does not.

George and Chuzzbab might have underestimated the weight of a dead bear. They've been slowly but surely moving the animal towards their cave, though the going was getting slower as they exhausted themselves. Chuzzbab signals another stop, pausing to breathe. He empties what was left of his water supply and scans the area. George does the same, but his drink is interrupted by movement in the distance between the trees. He studies the area for a moment before alerting Chuzzbab. He draws his bow and slowly moves towards the spot where he saw motion. Chuzzbab readies his crossbow, finds a nearby tree, and puts his back to it, blending in somewhat.

George, as politely as he is able, asks who's there. He says that he's in no condition to fight, but he could use some help moving this bear. He then offers a portion of the animal. Lilly is the first to speak up. Hand on her shiv, she emerges from the brush and approaches George, who slowly lowers his bow. He repeats that he isn't interested in fighting, which seems to relax Lilly slightly. She introduces herself briefly and then points to where Paul is hiding, introducing him as well. Paul sighs. His perfect hiding spot is given away, so he approaches. He extends his hand to George, who obliges and introduces himself as well. He then gestures to his own ally who is also trying to hide and introduces him. Chuzzbab slowly abandons his tree, disappointed but relieved.

The four go through another round of introductions before Paul offers to help move the bear to their base. Both hunters are pleased at the offer, and the four are quickly on their way. Their pace is doubled with the extra help.

Wednesday Early Morning Like, 1:00 AM

Geroge, Chuzzbab, Lilly, and Paul finally haul the bear to the cave. They are surprised to find their campfire already lit. Next to it, boiling riverwater in a pot, is Old Man Gasket. He tells them that he's been waiting and slowly stands up. He then realizes that might not have come across as friendly and changes his demeanor. He smiles and offers to cook the bear for them. Chuzzbab starts to say they didn't need his help, but Paul interrupts and tells him that would be great. Gasket asks if anyone has a knife. Lilly says she has one, but that it's laced with psychoactives. Gasket says it's fine, takes the shiv, and begins cleaning it before cutting bits of meat from the bear and cooking them with his special spices. While he cooks, the rest of the group rests.

Wednesday Morning

Dave has found a way out of the forest. He's tired and bruised from several slips, and his arms are covered in little cuts from sharp branches and thorns. He has strapped the water jug to his back and managed to fit the pineapple in his damaged briefcase without damaging its other contents. He lets out a sigh of exasperated relief at the sight of the horizon. He notices that to his left is a large cliff overlooking the forest. Remembering something from a movie he saw once, he begins moving towards the high ground.

It's been a while since we've seen McDougal. He's been gathering fruit and practicing his swordsmanship against a tree a few kilometers west of the forest. Slowly, he's been moving east towards the forest, though he's noticed that the ground has gotten awfully steep. He presses on regardless and thanks himself for not skipping leg day.

Drinking the last of his whiskey, he has a thought. McDougal pulls out a small bag of gunpowder and pours it into his whiskey flask, creating a kind of improvised explosive. He still needs to find something to use as a fuse, though. He thinks about this and continues walking.

Thursday Evening

Jim has been searching for a way to unlock the small box he found. He is sat against a tree, grumbling as he fiddles with the locking mechanism. It is as he does this that he notices a series of indentations in the lid. He dusts it off and inspects it closer. It appears to be some kind of cipher.

He studies the cipher for a while, trying to recall if he's heard of it before. It certainly doesn't appear Seraloan, but the angular patters seem familiar.

He can assume that there are four letters from the spacing of the symbols, though he hasn't a clue what they could mean. He considers returning to the valley in which he found the box, and after failing to conceive a better plan, begins walking that way.

Meanwhile, Dave reaches the base of the cliff. He stops to rest for the night, trying to decide if he should try to scale the face of the cliff or walk around and hope for a gentle incline. He falls asleep trying to decide.

Sorry guys, today has been really hectic for me IRL so I won't be adding an entry tonight. We can just assume the competitors are gathering supplies and conserving their energy today. Sorry to disappoint. Tomorrow will be really cool though!

Saturday afternoon

McDougal, reaches the very top of the cliff overlooking the forest. Over the last couple days he's been slowly ascending, watching the ground gradually shift from grasys to rocky. Breathing heavily, he sits down in the ledge, letting his feet dangle. It's been a while since he's been this high up, so seeing the arena stretch on below him gives a sense of satisfaction.

The top of the cliff itself is pretty bland. There aren't even any trees; it's just rock and patches of brush. A perfect place to camp, for McDougal at least.

Meanwhile, Klava and Susan are well enough recovered from their fight. The two have been uneasily allied out of desperation after they both heavily wounded each other.

Susan suggests to Klava that they start searching for other contestants. She reasons that because of the forest's natural cover, they should start there. Klava agrees. The two begin moving in that direction side by side, neither trusting the other to walk behind them.

Jax is taking inventory at his campsite, writing in his journal. His revenge plot against Mia Rosethorn, who killed Gin, is almost in motion. He only needs a few more supplies. Fortunately for him, he knows exactly who would have them.

Jax abruptly shuts his journal, grabs the small bag he retrieved from Gin, and begins moving towards Chuzzbab's cave.

Saturday Night

The sun has long since set. Most contestants are either sleeping or keeping watch in shifts. Paul, Lilly, Chuzzbab, George, and Gasket have picked the bear clean, sleeping with full bellies for the first time in a while. Everyone except Lilly is passed out. It's her turn to watch. She's trying her best, but despite her efforts she is struggling to stay awake. Her vision keeps periodically blurring, then coming back into focus. Her head is still throbbing.

Meanwhile, Mia Rosethorn is out and about. She's been moving along the perimeter of the forest searching for supplies and opponents, though unfortunately to little avail. We find her perched atop a tree, stomach begging for sustenance as she watches for movement. Suddenly, a small blur dashes out of the forest and across the plain. It's a squirrel. Mia, bow ready, remains perfectly still. She watches closely from her vantage point as the squirrel skitters towards a tree, then climbs halfway up and into a hole in the trunk. This must be where it stashes food. Mia considers her options. She could try to kill the squirrel, cook it, and eat it. She could also raid the squirrel's stash, though she has no way of knowing if it will be enough.

Why not both? Mia draws her bow, ready to fire at the first sign of movement. A minute passes. Then two.

Suddenly, the movement she awaits presents itself as the squirrel perks its head up. Mia releases the bowstring and the arrow flies true, landing right between the animal's eyes. Mia immediately hops from her branch and rushes to the tree. She reaches into the hole and pulls out her catch, which had been pinned by the arrow to the inside of the hollowed-out tree. She is also pleased to discover a sizable stash of walnuts and fruit.

Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Nyx Blightair is doing great. His log shelter has remained sturdy, and his wounded arm is recovering nicely. His pelt coat has kept him warm through the nights, and the wolves he killed have sustained him through his recovery. He didn't know he would be so successful in the wild, though it didn't surprise him. He was always resourceful in his line of work.

Nyx is bored, though. His only kills weren't even contestants. He needs to get a foot in the game, he knows. He sits on a tree stump and thinks for a while, trying to come up with a plan, but his thoughts keep circling back to the same thing. Exasperated, he walks towards his shelter. He reaches under a cot he fashioned with wolf pelts and retrieves the items he brought with him: a can of gasoline and a single box of matches. Nyx smirks and finally decides on a plan.

Midnight

Across the arena, Jax Carelson stalks through the night. He's been marking the locations where other contestants sleep. He crept up on Jim tonight. He didn't even notice when Jax placed a dead roach on his forehead. Jim isn't his target. For now, he has different priorities. So long as Jim knows someone is closing in, Jax is satisfied.

Jax approaches the formation of rocks that he knows to be a cave. Cozy. Spacious. Safe. The perfect place to rest. Naturally fortified from weather and unperceptive eyes. Not him, though. He knows that at least Chuzzbab has used the cave as a base. He also knows that Chuzzbab is a hoarder. Surely he'll have supplies Jax can use to create an entertaining trap for Mia.

He checks his pockets. The bag is still there. Two fully functional grenades, courtesy of Gin. There used to be three, but he'd tested one the other day. The animals it killed were inedible when he found the bits, but he wasn't hungry anyway.

Jax approaches the mouth of the cave. It's dark inside, so they probably don't have a fire going. All the better for him. As his eyes adjust, he is able to get a count. It's more than he had anticipated. There were five figures in the cave, all comfortably asleep. The one he knew to be Lilly was propped up against the wall. She's probably supposed to be keeping watch.

It's all too perfect.

Jax is barely able to suppress a giggle. He reaches for a grenade, heart racing with excitement. Thumbing the pin, he smiles at the thought. Five eliminations, all to himself. But he stops himself. No, he couldn't kill them yet. That would be too quick. No fun. No, he'll toy with them first. And besides, he has a primary target already.

He quietly steps foot into the cave. He scrounges up some bones from a large beast they apparently felled, a bundle of twine, and more canned food than he knew what to do with. Grinning, arms filled with ill-gotten gains, he takes one look back at the troupe. Still asleep, unknowing of what will soon befall them. Jax then heads back to camp.

Sunday Morning

Dave, battered and bruised, has finally completed the hike up the cliff overlooking the forest. As he climbs, he discovers that the more water he drinks, the lighter the load on his back becomes. This proves to be the factor that allows him to reach the top.

Breathing heavily, he takes a long look over the ledge at the sprawling forest below him. His elation is short lived, though, as he hears a stern voice behind him. He spins around to see McDougal, one cutlass extended towards Dave's neck.

He asks if Dave brought anything to drink, who stutters for almost thirty seconds. McDougal repeats the question, and Dave is able to stammer out that he has a jug of water. Disappointed, McDougal says that it'll do and sheathes his swords.

They, however, aren't the only ones with sights on the cliff. Wiktor Smolak, still furious, has decided to look for the highest vantage point he can find, which just some happens to be the cliff overlook.

He's been climbing for a while, fueled by his rage. He finally reaches the summit and sees McDougal sitting down, drinking water from a large jug. Across from him is a very frail man Wiktor hasn't seen before. He lets out a raging battle cry and charges towards McDougal, who looks towards the source of the noise and quickly rolls out of the way. He jumps up and draws his swords as Wiktor slides to a stop and draws his massive warhammer. Dave screams and scrambles backwards in the direction of the ledge.

McDougal rushes at Wiktor and slashes downwards with one sword, leaving a shallow cut down his leg. He follows up with an upwards slash with the other swords, but Wiktor steps back and parries with his hammer. He rushes at McDougal again, who ducks under the hammer as it swings in a wide horizontal sweep. McDougal gets back to his feet, but doesn't expect a second blow, which Wiktor delivers to the back of his head with a vengeance.

McDougal drops his swords and falls back to the ground, vision blurry. He gets back up to his knees, head throbbing. Grinning, Wiktor takes a few steps back and charges at his adversary.

At the last second, McDougal dives to the right, narrowly evading the hammer that might as well have his name on it. Wiktor is moving with too much force to stop quickly, and his momentum carries him towards the cliff edge, where Dave is cowering on the ground. Wiktor trips on the pathetic thing below him and begins to fall over. Instead of eating dirt, he keeps falling and disappears over the edge. He falls for several seconds before becoming a messy pulp on the ground.

Wiktor Smolak has been eliminated. 17 contestants remain.

Sorry everyone, I hate to do this again but semester exams are kind of kicking my ass right now, so I'll not be posting an entry tonight. We can assume the contestants are conserving their energy and gathering food. Tomorrow we should be back.

Tuesday Afternoon

Klava is pushing her way through the forest, closely followed by Susan. The two are searching for signs of other contestants, eager to whittle down the numbers. Klava keeps looking over her shoulder at Susan, worried that she might try to pull something. Susan keeps her eyes on Klava in return, considering her strategy. She figures that if they get into trouble, Klava will be a good shield.

The other pair currently in the forest, Lira and Julia, are hot on someone's trail. They discover a trail set of large, messy footprints in the still damp ground and decide to pursue. Susan is still taking point, bayonet ready to stab anything that moves, while Lira sticks behind and watches their six.

They aren't the only ones on the trail, however. Jumping between the trees is Ezra, keenly following the signs of destroyed flora. He's a good deal ahead of the military duo, though his pace doesn't reach their quick and tactical pursuit. He is forced to freeze, resting on a branch, when he hears very faint approaching footsteps. He watches silently as Lira and Julia walk below him, clearly following the same trail. This causes his a good deal of annoyance. Ezra's already fumbled a kill, and he doesn't intend to miss another. He waits for them to be out of earshot and continues his pursuit, though quickly realizes they are moving faster than him. He drops from the trees and continues his pursuit on the ground.

Julia spots a shambling figure in the distance through the trees. She signals to Lira, who spots the figure and raises her crossbow, trying to get a clear shot. She stabilizes her aim and fires.

Something whizzes past Susan's right ear, causing her to jump and instinctively turn around. She sees nothing and turns back to Klava, who appears to have a crossbow bolt lodged in her right shoulder. She is very upset at this and asks Susan if she saw where the bolt came from. Susan hesitates for only a moment before pointing behind her and to the left. This is a lie, but Klava begins moving in that direction, ready to break something.

Ezra, noting that the military duo has stopped, climbs back into the trees and moves in a wide circle around them. He notices a large figure moving east near him, away from another figure. He recognizes this to be Klava. He waits for her to gain enough distance from her companion, then quickly advances through the trees, vaulting between branches. He extends his claw blades as he positions himself directly above her. She pauses to look around, angry. It's at this point that Ezra notices the crossbow bolt in her shoulder.

He seizes the opportunity and leaps from the tree, flying downward like some bird of prey. Klava has no time to react as Ezra's blades sink into the back of her neck.

Klava Kaov has been eliminated. 16 contestants remain. see, I'm fair!

Susan watches as her companion is struck down in the distance. She realizes this is an opportunity to escape her pursuers and dashes into the forest, looking for a place to find cover. She discovers a large tree with a crude shelter built into it, clearly abandoned. She decides to rest here.

Wednesday Morning

Mia wakes up to find a large steel crate on the ground next to her. She investigates and finds a small tag with her name on it. Pleasantly surprised, she removes the lid.

Inside is a harpoon gun, a large jug of water, and several canned food items. She then turns towards where she's pretty sure the camera is and thanks the audience for the donation.

Aaaand thats it for today. It's still finals week. Sorry folks!

Thursday Afternoon

The Cave Gang is still recuperating after their supplies were stolen by Jax. Everyone is shaken, but Lilly seems to be taking it the worst. She was supposed to keep watch, but she fell short of the responsibility. She's sitting in the cave, sulking.

Paul and George are scavenging through the area near the cave, looking for food while getting to know each other by discussing the biodiversity of the forest and surrounding area. A few yards ahead of them is Chuzzbab, who is gathering roots and twine to fashion some kind of defense, or at least an alarm system. He keeps glancing at Paul, not fully trusting him.

Gasket is sitting in the cave with Lilly. He opted out of gathering supplies, pulling the "I'm old" card. He turns to Lilly and tries to console her, saying that he would have fallen asleep too. Lilly doesn't respond. Her mind is cloudy and her body aches. Gasket can't tell if he helped, but at least he tried. He then crosses his legs and whistles a really bad tune he came up with the other day.

Meanwhile, Jim returns to the area in which he found his box. He's been growing more paranoid lately, especially after waking up the other night to a dead roach on his forehead. Creepy stuff.

The last time Jim was here, it was really foggy. Now that he can see clearly, he notices a small red object sticking out of the earth. He hops over the small stream that runs all through this valley and eagerly picks the object up. He is surprised to discover that the object is actually a red envelope about the size of his hand. It's not that surprising that he missed it, considering the box is about the size of his forearm. He tears the parcel open and pulls out a note. He reads silently for a while. The note reads that to open the locked box, one must search for the symbol of a successful business. Jim thinks about this for a while.

Thursday Evening

Jax is constructing a diabolical trap with the supplies he's gathered. He has a lot of canned food, some very sharp bones, and a good deal of rope. He knows that Mia trusts the trees. He can utilize that.

He's been following Mia along the edge of the forest for a few days, taking notes on her tendencies and the path she takes for her morning walk. She tends to walk through a narrow pass between a cliff face and a cluster of trees. It's not a bad spot, actually. He waits for her to be well out of sight before emerging from the shadows, arms loaded with materials, and begins working. He fashions a very simple snare trap in the trees, making it easy to spot. This is intentional. He knows that Mia is clever and agile, and doesn't count on her falling for the snare. He expects her to follow the rope to the trigger, ready to attack. This is where he'll put the actual trap. The snare rope leads to a particularly sturdy tree in an area obscured by foliage. When she steps near it, he will be waiting out of sight, ready to trigger the real trap.

He smiles at the thought of this plan. It will be fun, he's certain. He needs only wait until morning.

Friday Morning Very Early (like 3:30 AM)

Nyx is leaving the forest, walking slowly with a canister of gasoline in his left hand and a box of matches in his right. He made sure to get up early today so he could start looking for contestants to hunt. He figures the easiest prey will be outside of the forest, so he moves in that direction.

Meanwhile, Jax is also up early. He needs to get to his trap before Mia. He knows she wakes up when the sun rises, so he should have plenty of time. Can't be too careful, though. He quickens his pace.

The only other early riser is Corvin Mercer. It's been some time since we've seen him. He's been quietly meditating and patiently waiting for something interesting to come to him, since he doesn't see actively pursuing danger to be wise. He is making his way to the large tree where he remembers Lilly building a shelter with that other guy whose name he can't remember.

Nyx emerges from the dense treeline and finds himself face-to-face with a cliff. Not flammable. He surveys the area and spots something shiny atop a tree stump. He curiously approaches and realizes that it's a can of beans. This must be one of the hidden supplies he was told about. Though it's rather blatant. So much for hidden. Nyx puts down his box of matches and reaches for the can, but before he can react, something pulls on his leg and tightens around it. In a swift and violent motion, he finds himself suspended in the air by his ankle. His canister of gasoline is dripping all over him, the trees, and the can of beans.

He probably should have seen this coming. It was a good spot for a trap, not unlike ones he had built prior to the games. Whoever set this here clearly had experience. Nyx comes back to his senses and tries to reach for his hand-axe, only to realize that it has fallen from it's spot on his hip to the ground, just out of reach.

He hears a loud rustling from the bushes behind him. He tries to turn himself around, slowly coming face-to-face with an upside-down Jax. Nyx almost feels honored to have been trapped by another practitioner of his craft.

Jax is a little confused, though he's mostly annoyed. He tells Nyx that he isn't supposed to be here, and asks where Mia is. Nyx doesn't know what he's talking about and just dangles there helplessly.

Jax spots the matchbox that Nyx dropped before getting strung up. He then notices the smell of gasoline. He stares Nyx dead in the eyes as he picks up the matchbox. He takes a single match and lights it. He lets it burn for a little while before flicking it towards Nyx, who promptly bursts into flames.

When the rope finally burns through, the charred remains fall to the ground. Jax makes like a tree and leaves, ultimately disappointed by the whole interaction.

Nyx Blightair has been eliminated. 15 contestants remain.

Saturday Evening

Corvin Mercer relocates the shelter in the large tree. It looks more run down than he left it, but its still sturdy. He examines the shelter, looking for signs of Lilly. He finds none, so he can assume she found somewhere else to be. Less for him to worry about.

He begins to turn and leave when someone shouts at him. He freezes and turns towards the direction of the voice. A few yards past the large tree is Susan, a worried expression on her face. She asks what Corvin wants and if this is his shelter. He says no and calmly asks what she is doing here. Susan says that she's using the shelter as a temporary base and that Corvin is free to stay if he'd like. Corvin declines politely and heads the other direction.

Susan watches him leave and quietly curses. He would have been an easy target if she could have earned his trust. She leaves a few berries she found the other day in the shelter and goes back to scavenge more food.

Monday Morning

The day greets the contestants with a torrent of rain.

Jim does not mind the downpour. He thinks he might have thought of the answer to the puzzle that opens his box. Jim knows business. He was excellent at making money when he was a mayor. Every successful businessman carried the same thing: a briefcase. And Jim could only think of one person here that carried a briefcase.

But where would he go? Dave always came across as cowardly, even by his standards. He likely wouldn't be moving around, especially at this point in the game. Jim didn't take Dave for a fool, though. He'd probably want to hide out somewhere difficult to reach with a good view.

Jim begins making his way towards the cliff, trying to stay within the valley to avoid attention. It's not hard to stay hidden, especially in the torrential rain.

Otherwise the day is uneventful. The rain continues through the night.

Thursday Evening

Jim has nearly ascended the slope of the cliff. He quickly grows tired, but is able to distract himself by watching the floor shift from patches of grass to cracked stone as he walks. Soon enough, the ground becomes level and he finds himself looking down upon the expansive arena below him. For a moment he feels as though he is literally on top of the world.

His fantasizing is interrupted by a timid cough behind him. Jim does a quick 180 and stares into the eyes of Dave, battered and torn briefcase in hand. His other hand is in his pocket. Jim dons a friendly smile and introduces himself. He explains to Dave that he just wants his briefcase. Dave steps back and clutches the briefcase defensively.

Jim's friendly demeanor fades. With one quick motion, he draws an engraved sabre and staps towards Dave, blade mere inches from his throat. Dave yelps and stumbles, falling backwards. Jim once again gestures towards the briefcase. Dave can only stammer helplessly as Jim slowly walks towards him. Jim is clearly not afraid to get his hands dirty.

Suddenly, a pair of cutlasses slash towards Jim, who is able to parry the attack with his own blade in the nick of time. Jim finds himself staring down McDougal, cutlasses drawn. Jim regrets picking an ornamental spoon for his second weapon. He decides his best bet is to be defensive. McDougal lunges with his swords. Jim parries and uses the force to launch a riposte towards McDougal's neck. He reacts quickly enough to duck below the blade.

Jim capitalizes and is able to kick at one of his opponent's swords, digging a heel into McDougal's left wrist. He yells and drops one swords, then rolls away and gets back on his feet. Jim such more confident now that the weapons are even, so he aggressively attacks, focusing on the legs. McDougal is able to keep up, and capitalizes on Jim's weak defense, landing a moderate cut from his shoulder to his chest. Jim doesn't let up, however, and desperately hurls his box at McDougal. This catches him off guard and causes him to stagger backwards. The box itself lands a few feet away from the edge.

Jim takes advantage of the moment of distraction to land a devastating slash to the back of McDougal's leg. He falls to one knee and cries out in pain. A second later, Jim slams his foot into McDougal's jaw, knocking him onto his back. Dazed, he looks up on Jim, whose blade is against his throat. McDougal chuckles and admits defeat. He then produces his whiskey flask. Jim supposes he can allow the man one last drink before eliminating him.

However, in his other hand, McDougal produces a lighter. He pops of the lid of the flask, which is filled to the brim with gunpowder. Jim makes the realization a microsecond too late, and McDougal, laughing, blows both of them to smithereens. It will be a good story to tell his friends if we manage to revive him.

Sparticus McDougal and Jim "The Jimster" Jim have been eliminated. 13 contestants remain.

When the smoke clears, Dave is left cowering next to a boulder, winning the fight by technicality. He slowly stands up and scans the area. Upon finding no threat, he notices a small box almost the length of his forearm lying a few feet from the cliff ledge. Cautiously, he maneuvers towards it and picks it up. He notices a small keyhole on the thin end. A sudden thought forms in his head. He sits down and unlatches the buckles on his briefcase, which miraculously still work, and opens it.

Inside the briefcase is a mess of dictionary drafts, a resume, a profit report for the company he works at, and a picture of Dave's wife. He digs through this rubbish and uncovers a small bronze key that he was given at the start of the games.

He carefully inserts the key into the lock and turns it. With a soft click, the box pops open. To his surprise and pleasure, he discovers that the box contains a Mk22 "Hush Puppy" tranquilizer pistol, a suppressor, and a magazine containing eight tranquilizer darts.

Friday Evening

The rain has let up, but it's left the forest damp and muddy. Lira and Julia's sweep is severely hindered.

Ezra has been evading the military duo all day. The difficult terrain has worked to his benefit so far, but he needs to lose them. They've been on his trail for days, relentlessly pursuing him without pause. He didn't know anyone could be so patient.

Ezra has taken advantage of the mud, leaving false tracks and sloppy clues to his path. The plan is to lead them in a circle to allow an opportunity to get behind them. Hopefully, one of them will take the bait and split from the other. That's when he'll make his move. He must be patient, though. He knows they're clever.

Meanwhile, The Cave Gang has constructed a very rudimentary watchtower and wall for their base. Gasket has volunteered to take the post, leaving Paul to do the cooking. Paul finds this annoying, but figures he needs to carry his weight if the alliance is to make it to the final five. Chuzzbab has been keeping a keen eye on Paul, still not quite trusting him. Lilly appears to be in a much better mood, though she continues to act lethargic and spends a lot of time scavenging alone. George and Paul are growing closer, both ecstatic to have someone to talk about nerdy stuff with.

Aaand that's really all that happened today. Also, exam season is almost over! We should be back to consistent updates from here on out. Thank you all again for your patience!

Saturday Morning

The Cave Gang is awakened by the frantic shouting of Gasket. Everyone quickly gets up and leaves the cave. They are shocked to see a massive grizzly bear about fifty yards from their makeshift watchtower. The bear is growling viciously, clearly hungry. It's significantly larger than the brown bear the team had eaten earlier. Paul is immediately confused. Grizzly bears don't live in warmer habitats like this.

His thinking is interrupted by a terrifying roar, and the bear begins charging towards them. Paul, George, and Chuzzbab ready their bows and crossbows respectively. Lilly grabs her sharp ice pick, while Gasket runs into the cave to retrieve his cast-iron pan.

George and Paul are able to fire twice each at the bear. Both of Paul's arrows land, one hitting the bear in the front right leg while the other breaks off in its shoulder. George manages to land one arrow below the bear's neck, but it doesn't go deep. Chuzzbab is able to fire one crossbow bolt, but misses.

The bear is not deterred, and within seconds its massive claws come slashing at Lilly, who is able to barely roll out of the way and swing her ice pick. The sharp end lands near its ribcage, causing it a great deal of pain and anger. The bear tries to clamp its jaw onto Lilly, but she's much quicker and manages to jump back. Chuzzbab is able to fire another crossbow bolt, landing right behind the shoulder. The bear roars and turns to rush at Chuzzbab.

Suddenly, Gasket comes in swinging with the cast-iron pan, landing a clean blow to the bear's nose. The bear staggers, which leaves an opening for Paul and George to fire another round of arrows. Only Paul lands a hit, and the arrow buries itself into the bear's back left leg.

The huge grizzly bear is hurt, angry, and hungry. Naturally, it rushes towards what it perceives to be the biggest threat, which is currently Gasket. It rears back, raising its massive claws into the air, then slashes downwards at the old man. He tries his best to dodge, but his joints aren't what they used to be. The bear claws a deep gash into Gasket's back, and he falls to his hands and knees.

The bear stands on its back legs again, going for the kill. Lilly takes the opportunity and rushes in, her ice pick moving in a downwards arc. The pointed end lands in the bear's chest and digs into the creature, narrowly missing its heart. The bear lets out a deafening roar and falls away from Lilly onto its back, clawing at the air. Paul is able to get another shot in, landing an arrow in the bear's side between the back legs and the ribcage.

The bear has never before known such rage. In a quick motion, the creature rolls over back onto its feet. Without warning, it lunges at Lilly. She falls back, but it's too slow. The bear sinks its teeth into Lilly's left arm. She screams in agony and tries to wrestle herself from the bear's jaw, but it only causes more pain.

Suddenly, cold metal collides with the bear's skull. It releases Lilly from its grip and staggers backwards. Gasket, breathing heavily and wounded, drops his pan and falls unconscious.

George is in a great position. The bear is quartered away from him. He lines up a shot and fires. The arrow flies straight is lodged behind the bear's shoulderblade. It goes deep and pierces the heart. The bear, in one final display of rage, rears back, roars, and falls dead. For several seconds, nobody says anything. The silence is broken by a sigh of relief from George. He'll be proud of that shot forever.

The gang suddenly remembers Gasket, who is bleeding on the floor. Paul has a first-aid kit and sprints towards the old man, then slides like a baseball player until he's next to him. He first bandages and applies pressure to Gasket's injuries, slowing the bleeding for now. Lilly uses her own first-aid kit to bandage her left arm, and Chuzzbab helps with some antiseptic he brought in his first aid kit. This group is lucky to have so many healing supplies. George, in his best effort to be helpful, attempts to move the dead bear into the cave. Upon failing miserably, he rejoins the group and puts pressure on Gasket's wound.

A while later, once things have settled down, Paul sits in the cave, examining the bear carcass. George notices Paul's confusion. Referring to his knowledge of the last hunger games, he explains that it's not abnormal for the organizers of the games to throw starving animals into the arena to spice things up. Paul listens intently, then shakes his head solemnly. How terribly cruel.

Gasket's health remains questionable.