epidemiology | EVENT ★ LABYRINTH III: THE ESCAPE

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[The beetle rears back and lets out a screeching sound when the arrow makes contact and Damian doesn't even spare a passing glance at the newcomer, springing to his feet and taking advantage of the creature bearing its underbelly. His blades might not have much reach, but that doesn't matter once the insect has fallen on its back.

It appears to be already dying, but he doesn't hesitate to plunge his dagger into the soft tissue of its abdomen as deep as he can manage and then vault off and watch as its twitchings come to a slow eventual stop. Only then does he focus on the woman who had assisted him and recognition crosses his features.]

It's you. [Said with no particular tone. His eyes flicker back to the dead beast and then away again.]

I could have handled it. [After a beat he continues, swallowing the bitter taste in his mouth] But the assistance is appreciated.

[At least this would-be victim knew an opportunity when he saw it. Hayame conserves her arrows, already running low and with no new fletching in sight, hooves dancing cautiously on the labyrinth floor as she keeps a wary eye on the beetle and the boy, bow still ready in case he should fail-

But he does not, and it is then when he turns that she actually realizes who it was and that same recognition appears on her face before she tamps it down in favor of her general expression. A stony frown.]

Your gratitude is unnecessary if it is grudging.

[The beetle is no longer twitching, so without further ado, Hayame moves towards the corpse, reaching to grasp her arrow and reclaim it from the bubbling gore of an eye.]

[It's only the memory of their first conversation that has Damian biting back a less than pleasant reply. Not because she's right but because, well. Maybe that's not important right now. Damian sucks in a breath of air and then wills himself to let go of his pride, just this once.]

Thank you. [Was that so hard? (Yes. It was.) He idly watches her retrieve the arrow, not wanting to leave just yet.]

You're very well trained. Is the bow your chosen weapon?

You are welcome.

[And that is that.

Hayame attempts to wipe the gore from the arrow on the beetle's corpse, but it's carapace is hardly a fitting texture for it, and so she pulls from her pouch a piece of leather that she begins to use to clean the arrowhead.]

It is.

[Though she also has a katana at her waist (or... shoulder, depending on which half you're using as a reference), and a dagger hanging from her harness.

That is where she'd normally end her conversation, but. Apparently one was supposed to... do more.]

Yourself?

[He motions his head to the katana at her...side.]

The katana is my preferred weapon, though I'm fond of the bow as well. [Not that he was allowed to use much of either of them anymore.

Damian is torn, wanting to say more and not knowing how. He is beginning to feel like that's too common for him when he's around her.]

...you've been well? [Better he means. Better than when they were still trapped.]

[Has she been well.

Her grip on the arrow shaft tightens and for a brief second, it seems the wood might be in danger of snapping before she forces herself to relax her grip, her gaze not moving over to him for even a second.

Staring at the arrowhead she continues to compulsively clean.]

Is that not a foolish question, when we are marooned in a nonsensical maze on a planet not our own?

[She'd rather forget their lunchroom conversation, and almost everything about that.]

Being marooned in a nonsensical maze on a different planet while one of our own has gone on to get help from Audentes is progress from being stuck in a flying prison, isn't it? [He feels a twinge of annoyance at how easily everyone has forgotten or given up Skywalker's mission as lost, but now is not the time to address that.]

That man flew into the black.

[Hayame did not know him, this Anakin Skywalker. Did not trust him. Did not trust "magic", did not trust "technology".

Could not shake her fear of space, of the great darkness out there.]

You would be better off not relying on his return and instead focusing on survival- if that is what you want.

[Not everyone wanted it. Living.]

Survival is not a problem. [He'll just conveniently ignore everything that happened in the last ten minutes. And maybe it's because she seems at least slightly less hopeless than the first time they'd spoken, but Damian relaxes a little, enough to show his exasperation. (Made worse perhaps by another vocal doubter of Skywalker.)]

You're not really one for positive thinking, are you? [The question is laced with sarcasm and a little annoyance.]

[Not a problem, he says, as if she hadn't just come to his rescue. What an ungrateful, mouthy child. But despite the raise of her eyebrow as if to say oh, is it not?, she has far more words to say for his question.]

What does false hope do for a man? Does it feed him, or protect him?

And what good is despondency? There is a middle ground between false hope and utter despair. [Damian shrugs and eyes his dagger, still dripping with bug innards. With an annoyed tut under his breath, he begins to carefully clean it on one of his pant legs.]

If the hope is false and death or at least remaining stuck here is certain, then why even bother moving forward?

[Why?

She wonders that herself. If she'd had her way, if she'd been allowed to carry through what she'd planned on that prison ship, what she'd wanted to do with the shiv she'd gone at lengths to obtain-]

My lord forbids me the honor of death.

[What forward was there even to move towards?]

And so I remain with you.

["You", as in... the team.]

EVENT ★ LABYRINTH III: THE ESCAPE

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