gooseberryhigh | ORNERY OAK CLIMB

ORNERY OAK CLIMB

It's a longstanding Gooseberry legend: If you write the names of yourself and your sweetheart on a ribbon, then climb the Ornery Oak to tie the ribbon to one of its branches, your love will last forever. It's patently untrue, as many couples in years past have broken up despite the risk and potential broken bones, but the tradition persists. It's often fuelled by people who don't want to be perceived as not dedicated enough (or not brave enough) to give it a shot.

It's a brisk week, but already warmer than it was in January. There are ample opportunities before Valentine's Day to sneak out to the Ornery Oak and give it a try. Today there are an unusual number of students out willing to risk life and limb for love.

HOW THIS WORKS

You reply to this comment with the form below and say that your character is going to try to climb the Oak.

Via good ol' RNG, we'll determine what happens.

Assuming you don't indicate otherwise, every climber will be a success to some degree, because we're not monsters who would deny your ship "eternal" love. Instead, the contest is how high did you get and whether you got hurt.

There are four "levels" to the Oak:
- Lower branches (7'). An easy climb, everyone will at least get their ribbon here. If you fall, you'll get bruised.
- Middle branches (15'). A slightly challenging climb, but doable for the average student. If you fall, you might twist an ankle or break your arm.
- Upper branches (30'). A difficult climb, where it's unlikely you'll reach it without being athletic. If you fall, something's definitely breaking.
- The top of the tree (40'). Very difficult, and only reachable by someone athletic, coordinated, and reckless. If you fall... you're being rushed to the infirmary.

Your character can climb the Oak any time between now and Valentine's Day, but for ease of interaction, we'll say a number of students made an event of it.

It starts after dinner, and goes on for a few hours before teachers come and break it up.

» Climbers: POST HERE to get your results rolled! The ponderous Ornery Oak will be swiping its branches at anyone who tries to climb, but if you're dedicated, you can make it up the trunk.

» Observers: For everyone else. Is your sweetheart going up the tree, or do you just hope to see someone fall and break their neck?

» OOC - Questions, comments, concerns!

Please fill out the following form and post it to CLIMBERS in order to participate and qualify for the prize.

Character: Who's making the climb?
Do you want a guaranteed success?: Yes/No/Surprise Me. Default is YES.
Are they athletic?:
Are they being reckless?:
What's written on their ribbon?:

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hahaha, no. Ursula is not climbing this thing. For starters, she doesn't have a sweetheart, but more importantly, she's not an idiot. She does, however, greatly enjoy the spectacle of watching her classmates get maimed in the name of eternal love.

"I wonder if the height reached somehow correlates with how long before your love is ultimately doomed," she comments snidely to no one in particular as she fiddles with the end of her scarf. Nooooo, Ursula does not care at all that her Valentine's prospects are looking extremely grim.

The thrashing of the oak's branches is a siren's song to Xavier Lewis, Certified Stupid Boy. He's brought a ribbon with "Xavier & Turkey Dinner" written on it. THIS IS IT: HIS LAST CHANCE. Four years he's been at Gooseberry and he's never attempted to climb the tree. This is a milestone he must reach. It's also incredibly, unfathomably stupid. And even Xavier knows that, which is why he hasn't gunned it for the trunk, yet.

Thankfully, the lure of statistics talk is stronger than the beckon of guaranteed physical harm. When he hears Ursula musing to herself, he can't help but pipe in from behind her, "I think total distance flung also factors in."

A quick glance back and Ursula is unsurprised to find Xavier, proud member of her favorite Saturday nerd focus group (...it's okay to just call it LARP Club, Ursula), chiming in. It's unclear whether his comment or the oak choosing that moment to fling a foolhardy freshmen from its limbs contributes more to the smile that spreads across her lips.

"The further the luckier?" she suggests and as she turns towards him, a conveniently timed gust of wind whips her scarf off and sends it to get snarled up in the oak's branches.

Ugh, seriously?

Ursula's still not an idiot, but plenty of her classmates are eagerly proving they are. Time to see who's the most susceptible to an irritated glance cast in their direction.

“Yeah definitely—Oh...” Xavier watches the scarf as though it has committed some social faux pas. “Oh.” He says again, a little more emphatically this time, but it doesn’t stop the knit accessory from twirling away, a majestic green and copper cotton blend Falcor bound for Fantasia. And by Fantasia I mean one of the branches of the Ornery Oak.

A moment of silence passes between them. Xavier looks to the scarf and then to Ursula, then back to the scarf again. Something about that look on her face is filling him with terror.

“Don’t worry!” He says, sprinting toward the tree, “I’ll get it! I got it!”

Very good. Scurry along quickly now. That scarf is absolutely irreplaceable.

The valiant knight returns after his victory lap, looking windblown and a bit worse for wear but still beaming.

"Got it." He says before draping it over Ursula's shoulder. Xavier doesn't wait for a response before falling hard on his rear and exhaling loudly. He shakes his head and blinks slowly. What a rush.

ORNERY OAK CLIMB

Ursula & Xavier

Ursula & Xavier

Ursula & Xavier

Re: Ursula & Xavier

Ursula & Xavier

Re: Ursula & Xavier