EVENT ★ LABYRINTH II

[futurologists]

DEEPER Following the marked path near the lake leads Audentes (and George) further into the maze, closer to the goal found at the center. Some other inmates (including Zymandis agent Mavahari) and correctional officers follow along, having picked up on the organized manner of Audentes and figuring it’s their best bet on getting out of here alive. Unlike the dry stone and sand in the outer ring of the maze, this next section is overflowing with flora. Jungle vines cling to the walls to the point where seeing the stone underneath is a difficult task; trees sprout from between cracked tiles, bearing alien-looking fruit; branches and brambles cross certain parts of the maze, and will need to be hacked through unless you want to find another way around. Water is more plentiful now as well, since obviously the plants need it to flourish. For the first time since setting foot in the labyrinth, a rain begins to fall, drizzling and gentle. This can be a respite or an annoyance, depending on how you look at it: while it’s soothing and can make collection of fresh, clean water easier, walking around in wet clothes is probably not that pleasant. Your fellow ALASTAIR recruit George has inexplicably struck up a friendship with the Zymandis agent Mavahari, and they can often be found exploring the maze together, with Mavahari helping him due to his broken arm. They seem to be getting along well enough, but maybe checking in with George is in order. Otherwise, survival is the name of the game; though the center of the labyrinth is closer, it’s impossible to tell how close, and how long to expect to be here. Collecting water is simple enough, but food is growing scarce. The tree fruits may be a good solution, but it seems as though some have unfortunate reactions to them, ranging from stomach cramps to rashes to fever and temporary blindness. But an allergic reaction may just be the least of your worries. LOVE ME LIKE A REPTILE The monsters seen so infrequently in the outer ring of the maze are now a common nuisance. Giant insects and rats scurry about, hungry for whatever flesh they can find, but they’re easily defeated, particularly if encountered as a group. But with new terrain comes new, adaptive animals, and the labyrinth is no different. Lizards are now the main threat: enormous and camouflaged, they stalk their prey and take their time, looking for the perfect opportunity to ambush. The lizards are three-headed, with each head containing fangs dripping with venom, capable of rendering its victims paralyzed within five seconds flat. Their blood is also poisonous, capable of burning through metal, not to mention flesh. If a head is severed, the lizard will retreat back into the jungle, presumably to nurse its wounds but possibly to grow another head -- no lizard will ever be encountered with less than three heads, so it’s possible they have regenerative abilities. The best way to defeat one is to remove all three heads at once, or simply kill it in whatever way possible. The lizards are quick and mean, but not invincible. Now more than ever, it’s important to take care in exploring the maze. Stray too far from the group or try to make it alone, and you might not survive. OOC NOTES Once again, we have a plotting post here and search requests for the next ring of the maze. Please note: during the labyrinth event, all drops are ICly delayed. What this means is that characters who drop will be handwaved to still be around on auto-pilot until connection with Oska is resumed, at which point they will be transferred to a different team as usual. If you have any questions about the labyrinth that aren't answered here, please direct them to the Leramzen dossier. If you have questions for any NPCs, please direct them there as well! Questions about the game in general should be directed to the FAQ and you may submit mission ideas or player plots at any time.

Comments

[armigers]

Because I don't want to set everything else on fire.

[ That tree looks like it's probably going to ignite a good chuck of land around them, and he may be generally irresponsible about a lot of things, but he did pay attention to all those lectures in school about how to prevent forest fires -mainly by not igniting any trees. ]

Doing better over there or still haven't gotten the shake it off part down?

[ It's really not that hard of a concept, but this guy doesn't seem like he's all that ...animated. Not necessarily a bad trait, but it would help him stay warm. Noctis is feeling bad enough as it is that he not only failed to catch any food, but he froze a fellow Audente instead. It's definitely not his day so far. ]

[beginanew]

[So this guy can't control his jutsu- no, his magic, that well. Sasuke sighs, and shakes his head. There's little ice crystals clinging to his hair.]

Better. I will not shake anything off, it's melting nicely with the rain.

[What's with this man and telling him to shake his body?!]

[armigers]

Suit yourself. Would reeeally hate to watch you get eaten by something.

[ Meaning, why not do the sensible thing and get warmer quicker? Granted, he probably would look pretty lame if he walked around, shaking his limbs to get some warmth in them, but generally speaking, living is better than dying and looking cool.

Whatever he wishes to add to that gets broken up when he swears he hears some very questionable rustling from just a few feet away. Something tells him it's not the wind, so Noctis is instantly on guard, one of his throwing knives appearing in his hands in a flash of blue particles. ]

That's never a good sound... you go take a look.