EVENT ★ LABYRINTH III: THE ESCAPE

[futurologists]

LABYRINTH III The correct passageway to the inner ring of the maze is hidden behind a thick wall of vines. After cutting through the plants, the structure of the maze is noticeably different: the overgrown plants continue creeping up the walls, but the walls are no longer brick and stone, composed instead of some sort of blue metal with holes and divots carved elaborately into the surface. From some holes gush forth pure, clean water; from others, acidic liquid. The air is cool and crisp, the plants creating a lush, dim environment lit by eerie blue lights spread throughout this section. The lizards, rats, and other monstrous creatures seem to be absent from this area of the maze, replaced instead by rhinoceros-sized beetles. The beetles each have a single horn protruding from the head, and their hard carapaces make them difficult to kill -- a better method might be to simply climb somewhere high and wait for the beetle to get bored. But unlike the other monsters encountered in the maze, the beetles seem to have something else on their mind beyond wanton violence: they can sometimes be found rolling massive balls of dung throughout the corridors of the labyrinth. (This might explain why the plants are so lush closer to the center.) There is little time to explore this section of the labyrinth before there's a flicker of light all around and more ALASTAIR recruits suddenly appear, most dressed in a freshly pressed uniform and carrying extra food and supplies. They have been told that the cloaking surrounding Asterion Labyrinth is so strong and complex that Oska was only able to send in a handful of recruits at once for a relief effort. In order to leave, they'll have to locate the escape mechanism that lies deep within the labyrinth; the remaining Asterion Prison correctional officers know its general location, but not precisely what it entails. All they know is that it will require technological cunning to operate and that it's heavily guarded. After five days, the portal room is found. THE PORTAL ROOM The center of the labyrinth is a large, circular room with a raised platform in the middle. On this platform rests a circle of computer consoles surrounding another platform, on which sits an empty circular frame 2.5m (8') in diameter. This is the dormant portal, and it is now Audentes's task to turn it on and find their way back to Oska. Because the portal is not made for interdimensional travel, it must be overclocked, which will cause it to burn out and explode once it is used. In order to override the safety protocols in place to prevent such dangerous tampering, the control panels must be unlocked -- and unfortunately, the locks are all complicated puzzles, ranging from the numerical to sliding pieces into place to complete a pattern. There are many of these puzzled scattered around the portal room, and once they are all unlocked, it's a simple matter of flipping the power override switches. Ignore the dangerous humming sound and the way the frame suddenly fills with violent purple energy. That's probably normal. The new recruits have the correct coordinates to locate Oska, which has temporarily lowered its cloaking shield to allow Audentes to return. So there is a bit of a time crunch. Adding more to the difficulty of the situation is the presence of a monster lumbering around the circular portal room. Six meters (20') high, the beast is best described as a minotaur, but perhaps not in the traditional sense: while it resembles a bipedal bull, it is an amalgamation of flesh and machine with its body covered in pistons and glowing lights. One of its hands is an enormous axe and it belches fire and acid. Despite its head resembling an herbivore, the piles of desiccated bones scattered throughout the portal room tell a different story. Upon seeing the group, the minotaur charges. Mavahari, the Zymandis recruit, rushes to meet it with her sword drawn. Inmates and correctional officers do their best to fight it as well, but something becomes quickly apparent: it cannot be harmed by projectile weapons. The machinery of the beast keeps it protected from most attacks, though electricity will stun it and acid will corrode its metal. But in order to injure the minotaur, it must be stabbed between the metal plates where its vulnerable flesh remains. During the battle, the minotaur fights viciously and without regard for its own safety. The first casualty comes early: the minotaur swings its axe toward Mavahari, who is pushed out of the way by George. The axe connects with him solidly, sending him flying into the wall with a shuddering impact. George lies there still, but there's no time to mourn. The beast continues its rampage. Once the minotaur is defeated, you'll have to quickly decide what to do with the correctional officers and inmates who have followed Audentes through the Asterion Labyrinth. The overclocked portal won't hold forever, and the longer Oska leaves its cloak down, the better chance they have of being found by their enemies. OOC NOTES This log will last for six IC days: five days for exploration and one day at the center of the maze. We have also recently altered the calendar this month, so make sure you review it! IMPORTANT: Participation in the solution poll is mandatory for August AC. Failure to participate will result in an automatic strike. The only exception is for those who are exempt from August AC. The poll will close on 11 August 23:59 UTC. If you have any questions about the labyrinth that aren't answered here, please direct them to the Leramzen dossier. 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

[dbag]

[ Rhys lifts up his foot, carefully poking at the shoe (with his twitchy robot finger, of course, just in case there's any acid left) as if he thinks it might be an illusion. After he's satisfied, he puts it down and glances back up at Giovanni. ]

Okay, all right. That was good.

[ He's a little more earnest now, always terrible at concealing-don't-feeling, although he keeps most of it under wraps. It helps that he can smell blood and puke, as that really tamps down the urge to smile too wide. ]

Do any other tricks?

[ofobedience]

[He rises to his feet, smooth and slow, then looks up into the other man's face (he's all of 5'7 okay). Arches a brow, wryly. Tries to ascertain whether that's a deliberate dog joke he's making, before deciding it probably isn't-- he's seen Rhys around, of course, the team isn't that big, but it's not as though they know each other on any kind of personal level.

Still--]

Woof.

[It comes as wry as his expression, but then he's shrugging his shoulders. Smiles briefly.]

I suppose it depends on what you mean by tricks.

[dbag]

[ Woof?? What a weirdo. He'd thought it pretty obvious what he meant — magic tricks, like his little clothes-repairing spell — but at the apparent knowledge that it wasn't, he raises an eyebrow. ]

Ummm, okay. Trick, noun: an action that is interesting or entertaining in some way, usually magical in nature. Come on, I'm asking if you can do anything else cool, dude.

[ofobedience]

It doesn't quite classify as a trick if the results are real, does it? That kind of magic is all just a subterfuge.

[But perhaps he's being pedantic, and seeing as you're not making jokes at his expense, he relents.]

But I've never requested any further spells, no. At least, not yet. And I suppose I do have a few tricks up my sleeve, but they don't classify as magic. Such as--

[He raises his palm to his lips, bites into the meager flesh there with his eerily pointed teeth until bright beads of blood show around their edges. And then he holds his hand up for the other man to see.

All those little puncture points-- they begin to heal within the blink of an eye, close over with the sizzle and hiss of rising smoke, and in a matter of moments his palm is unblemished as it ever was.]