+ The Time Has Come, the Time Is Now +

[vitaelamorte]

Who: Everyone in Wonderland!
Where: The chessboard hills
When: Monday, June 11, all day starting at 10:00 AM
Rating: R for (sometimes excessive) violence
Summary: The Queen of Hearts has declared war and the time for battle has come.
The Story:
♥ ICly, the Real Things who will act as pieces volunteered and are led by the Red Queen. The Mirrors were chosen by the Queen of Hearts without being given a choice. The Queen of Hearts announced her choices to her Mirrors very directly, with an order to show up at 10:00 AM on the chessboard, ready to fight. The Red Queen announced her choices more politely, but just as firmly, with a text message sent out over the network listing her pieces and requesting their assistance to protect their fellow Real Things. Characters were not ICly able to respond to this message.

♥ Those pieces who choose to obey the summons will have time to gather any items or weapons they might want to have with them, within reason. Those who don't heed the summons will find themselves suddenly and instantly transported to their square on the chessboard when 10:00 AM rolls around. They will arrive with anything that was on their person at the time, as well as one weapon (whatever it would be normal for them to use). Likewise, any spectators who are not in or around the stands by 10:00 AM will find themselves transported there.

♥ Each player sports an armband, white for the Real Things and Black for the Mirrors, with the shape of their assigned chess piece embroidered in the opposite color. Royalty pieces wear crowns indicative of their status. Should a pawn be promoted to queen, a crown will appear on their head.

♥ Pieces will find that they can't leave their assigned spots until they're told what square to move to by either the Queen of Hearts or the Red Queen. And if they refuse to move, after a couple of moments, an unseen force will scoot them along to their new space.

♥ When threading moves on the board, please find the appropriate top-level under which to comment! It might be helpful to label your thread with which move/encounter you're playing out.

♥ Players on the board can not communicate with those in the stands and vice versa (other than by jumping around and flailing, I guess). However, players on the board can communicate directly with those in squares adjacent to them or with any challenger whose square they share. Since some pieces have a lot of down time, feel free to have them chat with others on the board while they're waiting around.

♥ Directions from the Queens can be assumed. Go ahead and play out moves without waiting for a comment to officially announce them.

♥ The plotting and info post for this log is here.

♥ For your convenience, here are links to the thread headers:

The Donation Box
Pre-Game
The Game - Moves 1-20
The Game - Moves 21-40
The Game - Moves 41-60
The Game - Moves 61-80
The Game - Moves 81-100
The Game - Moves 101-117
The Holding Area
The Stands

Have fun!

Comments

[powerofmabel]

Nah, you look like you could use some refreshments down here. [She gives a hesitant look over her shoulder, but everyone is still focused on the match, so she can add, in a much lower voice, as if worried they'll be caught:] I didn't think you'd come because of you know who. [The Queen of Hearts, that is.]

[curiousher]

[Alice knows very well who, and she shudders.]

That's why I'm down here! I doubt she'll see me from where she is, and I didn't want to avoid it entirely. I wanted to see the war for myself, in case there's anything I can do.

[She pauses though, and frowns.]

I...don't really know what I would do, but either way I wanted to be here.

[powerofmabel]

Did you know this was what it was gonna be? [She flails an arm out, indicating the chessboard.] When she said war, I thought it was gonna be us defending the mansion from invading Mirrors or something. This doesn't seem so bad.

[curiousher]

I...wasn't entirely sure. We've had chess wars before, but other things have been called wars too, so it was hard to say for certain.

[Alice looks out where Mabel gestures and tenses as she sees a piece move...but, there's no capture, so she eases.]

It could certainly be worse, but it could absolutely be better too. People are going to get hurt either way, and it feels icky to have it be a spectator sport. Plus, I know no one likes the Mirrors, but you know who doesn't give them much of a choice about whether they play or not. At least the Red Queen asked for volunteers...

[powerofmabel]

[She shudders. The spectator sport thing is what's getting her about all the ickiness.] I wonder how she picked the ones she uses. My Mirror's not out there, so I guess she's not the favorite like she thinks she is.

[She's only a little smug about that. Just a little.]

[curiousher]

No one's ever a favorite for long in her court. It's just whoever she likes the most at the time, which...would probably be those sixteen out there right now.

[She gestures vaguely toward the board.]

Letting them die for her is a awfully funny way of telling them she cares though.

[powerofmabel]

Right. [She tugs at the collar of her sweater.] That sounds like the way she treats everybody

[curiousher]

Pretty much. I wish there was more we could do...

[That's a bit of a downer though, so she changes the subject.]

Oh! Psst! Mabel! Reach down here for a moment!

[If she does, she'll be rewarded by Alice tossing a small bag up at her - a bag full of old timey Victorian strawberry candy. It might take a couple tries, but she'll get there.]

For you, since you gave me your popcorn!

[powerofmabel]

[There's some huffing and flailing, but Mabel finally achieves candy nirvana and her face lights up as she shoves a handful in her mouth and awkwardly holds them in her cheek as she speaks like a squirrel.]

You're the best, Alice.... I'd say enjoy the rest of the match, but that's kind of the wrong word. Uh... I hope the Red Queen wins?

[Some of that was even comprehensible!]