futurologists: (Default)
Hathaway. ([personal profile] futurologists) wrote in [community profile] epidemiology2017-08-05 12:02 am

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.
spacerhyme: (esto)

[personal profile] spacerhyme 2017-08-15 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
Which bit?

Devoted myself to the cause of defending and maintaining the web of time? Traipsed round another dimension? Collected acid samples?

[ he slides another vial in his pocket. glances at urahara. ]

Yes.

[ he has been around the block. all the same, he's a newbie in a new land, starting entirely from scratch - he's keenly aware of his own limitations here. ]
predomination: that's basically what we're here for. (⚛ so anyway... science.)

[personal profile] predomination 2017-08-15 10:39 pm (UTC)(link)
[Well, if he wasn't already impressed, he is now. Urahara's come to redefine genius since coming here- being the smartest where he comes from doesn't exactly mean he's the smartest across multiverses, and while it's occasionally disheartening in some ways, in others, it's a relief to not have that burden. He can't imagine doing what they do here all the time as an actual lifestyle choice.]

I must say, you might be the most qualified person we have on this team, then. You'll have to excuse us. [He chuckles sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.] Even after a few years of doing this, we're still kind of a mess.
Edited 2017-08-15 22:40 (UTC)
spacerhyme: (arcopolis)

[personal profile] spacerhyme 2017-08-17 01:01 am (UTC)(link)
[ you'd have to be insane, frankly, to spend literally all of your time doing this. of your own volition.

which... yeah. he just shrugs.
]

Wanna hear a secret?

I've been doing this for over two thousand years, so I do feel eminently qualified to inform you...

it's never gonna be less of a mess.
predomination: just throw a sheet over it and run tessai. (⚛ no it looks fine. totally fine.)

[personal profile] predomination 2017-08-18 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
[Maybe someone else would look upon that realization with utmost horror and request an immediate transfer to another team, but this is Urahara, former member of the fucking Gotei 13 whose level of hot mess would make Audentes feel a bit embarrassed. The difference is just slightly more structure, but it's not like Yamamoto polices every division.

So Urahara just smirks a little.]
You said it, not me. I don't think anyone is ready to believe it, but personally, I find rigid structure to be more frustrating than anything. And even that ends up in a mess, eventually.

[He's been through some times, man.]