etrayalogs | MISSION 002

Entry tags:

MISSION 002

WHO: Everyone!
WHEN: May 3rd-28th
WHERE: Within the Labyrinth
WHAT: The second Mission
NOTES\WARNINGS: Potential death, violence, injury. Please add additional warnings as needed within threads.

⏵ into the labyrinth ⏴

Aurora's announced time for the mission was correct: four days after, as she had promised, the door to the Labyrinth opens, connected to Etraya's atmospheric bubble by its entrance point. Characters are directed to come to the entrance on May 3rd, and warned that they may want to bring medical supplies, weaponry, and any important artifacts along with them. She warns that large vehicles will not fit within the limited space available, and smaller ones may be difficult to remove, thus advises those to stay behind. Aurora also offers to watch over any companion animals and keep them safe while competitors complete the Labyrinth.

They are given a short amount of time outside of the entrance to speak with one another, to plan and organize themselves, before they are ushered into it in groups of two to four. Once passed the entrance, they'll find that they are unable to turn around and exit out of it: a barrier keeps them from going back into the city proper, and as soon as they are far enough forward, the walls around them shift, closing them in, moving in complex patterns meant to separate them and bring them together.

Characters with extraordinary abilities may find some of them inaccessible: super strength may be downgraded to closer to ordinary strength, magic may prove to be less predictable than it should be, and regardless of how strong, fast, or clever characters are: passing over the Labyrinth walls or destroying them proves to be impossible. While one may be able to run through the pathways at superhuman speeds, the pathways compensate for it by running them in circles, refusing to allow them to make any progress on their own.

⏵ pathways collide ⏴

Junctures of the Labyrinth often present competitors with choices, some that may have consequences: a left turn down a darker path may prove to be harmless, whereas the well-lit path may be full of traps intent on slowing them down: a trip wire that activates a swinging massive axe, or arrows that shoot straight out of the wall as soon as one gets close enough.

Other junctures may present characters with choices that have consequences: they can choose the shortest pathway, but at great personal risk to themselves or their partner (ie, you can go this way, but your arm isn’t going with you) or they can choose the lengthy pathway full of traps and trials they’ll have to surpass to get to the end.

⏵ balancing act ⏴

The pathway opens up into a massive space, but it's not one with an easy path out: instead, competitors will find an obstacle course that will not let them continue forward until they complete it. Many of the tasks involve things that one cannot do on their own: they must walk across multiple wooden boards balanced precariously on a tall beam, but to ensure it's balanced, there must be one person on both sides of the boards and make sure that they're walking on the board in just the right space to ensure their weight doesn't cause it to sink too far on the opposite side. If a smaller child is on one end, they may want to stand significantly further away from the beam than the larger person on the other half.

⏵ help! i'm bleeding! ⏴

A large garden area spawns off of a pathway. The peaceful chirping of birds can be heard among blooming cherry blossom trees, and it all seems utterly peaceful and calm. An area one might wish to take a breather in, enjoy the sunshine reflecting from above, and get a good nap in. Or would, except a companion bot whose abdomen is covered in ketchup appears to be struggling across the ground, crying out for help. They state they are bleeding profusely and require immediate medical attention, otherwise, they will die.

The companion bot also carries a bag of medical supplies and MREs, which player characters are welcome to utilize. The pathway out of this open space will not open until after the companion bot no longer states they are dying. Whether it's because they're "dead", or because those who came across them offered "medical attention" and patched them up until they've stated they're good and no longer need assistance - well, both will technically suffice.

⏵ choice is an illusion ⏴

After walking down an additional pathway, characters will find themselves trapped within a glass box. In front of them is a pedestal with two buttons: one red, and one green, as well as a tablet above it displaying the image of another group of characters. The tablet states hindering them will help you. You may either choose to make the second group's time through the maze more difficult, or hinder your progress by pressing the green button and helping the other group forward.

Characters are given two minutes to decide which path to take; the timer, on the tablet, counts down regardless of any attempt to break or hack it.

Pressing the green button will drop several squishmallows into the glass box. Inside one of them is a key that unlocks the roof of the glass box. Pressing the red button, while it promises to hinder the other group, actually. . . causes a toxic yellow gas to flood the glass box. The gas will burn the lungs of those who breathe it in, but it also begins slowly melting the glass box. This gas will make breathing difficult for the next 24 hours, but will not kill those who inhale it. Healing factors will not offset the gas.

⏵ who deserves the knife? ⏴

A group of two characters will walk through one corridor and find themselves strapped to two chairs, the backs of which are leaning against each other. In front of the both of them are drills, slowly approaching their chests. They cannot go sideways but can push forward and backward. They can push backward and get themselves further away from the threat of injury - forcing the person behind them to suffer but allowing themselves to escape - or they can push into the drill and free the person they're with. Alternatively, they can choose not to push either way, potentially sacrificing them both.

Three options, but they are left with minimal time to decide as the drill continues to press closer. If they choose to go out together, they'll find that as the drills press against their chest - they simply stop. Minimal blood will be spilled, and they will have all the time they need to figure out how to squirm out of their bindings.

⏵ the Siren waits for thee ⏴
A seemingly harmless pathway turns into much more trouble than it's worth. A few steps through a corridor, and suddenly competitors will find the floor falling out from under them, revealing a body of water and - no solid ground on either side of it. There are the walls, but they lack any good climbing holds. Within the water are numerous Sirens - beautiful androgynous creatures that sing soft songs meant to entice others into following them deep into the water. While they may look beautiful, their mouths are full of razor-sharp teeth, and their intentions certainly aren't innocent. However, the Sirens can only touch competitors once they have initiated touch first. They will do their best to encourage this: holding out their hands, crying out for help, pretending to drown, or trying to coax them into coming in close enough for a kiss. As long as they remain on the path, they're harmless. But the moment they reach out for the Sirens... getting away from them will not be easy. Their tails are powerful, built for moving swiftly throughout the water and dragging others along with them. They bite hard and will dig their teeth deep into flesh to discourage struggling.

If one gets captured by them? They're lunch. Or worse yet: if they get bitten but manage to escape, they may find themselves becoming a bit.. scaley around the neck, eyes shifting color to a too-soft green, and an almost impossible-to-resist urge to take a bite out of their friends.

This effect will continue until May 28th regardless of when the character reaches the end of the Labyrinth. After May 28th, they will find that their scales slowly begin to shed, their eyes begin to turn back to their normal shade, and any other new features slowly turn back to how they were before they were infected.

⏵ don't forget your ball of twine ⏴

The Labyrinth is large, and there are many challenges around each corner. There may be space for breaks in between monsters, challenges, riddles, places to sit and recuperate between battles and mind games. It's not all chaos and challenges meant to test one's strength of will.

⏵ NOTES ⏴
May's mission is completing a massive Labyrinth. All characters must enter the Labyrinth; whether or not they participate once they're inside is up to them, but no one will be permitted to stay behind in the city.

The duo who completes the Labyrinth first will be allowed to assist in choosing the next mission. Sign-ups for this are here. We will contact the chosen characters on May 13th.

This mission will cover the time between May 3rd and May 28th. After May 28th, any characters who have not yet exited the Labyrinth will be gathered by the companion bots and brought back into the city. The companion bots will be aiming for nonviolent intervention. If more is needed, please let us know here.

The first to exit will be returning to the city on May 15th.

There will be powercapping during this mission, but the extent of which is fully up to players. We want the Labyrinth to be challenging but don't want to hinder gameplay too much. If you have any questions relating to this or want assistance coming up with ways to powercap your character, please feel free to ask us here. We will be largely leaving this up to player discretion.

Food is scarce within the Labyrinth, but not impossible to find. There are chests (or maybe they're mimics?) strewn throughout with various useful items. One might have a sword, another might have a fresh chicken nugget Happy Meal from McDonalds. Or an entire birthday cake, candles included.

Large vehicles will not fit in the Labyrinth and must be left behind in the city.

Numerous challenges are throughout the Labyrinth. You are welcome to make your own, but we will also provide several you may utilize! Please feel free to throw down wildcards, or your own challenges into your prompts! The limitation is that characters must remain themselves throughout the challenges. There are no mirror replicas, nothing within the Labyrinth will affect their personalities or core values. It’s meant to challenge, not change them.

Deaths that occur within the Labyrinth will last 24 hours. Please report these on our Death Tracker.

All new locations will appear after player characters have returned to the city. Feel free to note the differences from the May 3rd map, versus what characters will be returning to on May 15th.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh. Okay.

[ He just.. seems to accept this, huh. Even though it kind of sounds like a weird story, even to someone who comes from a world like Fabian's. A lot of weird stuff happens back there, but people being born with extra parts to their brain that let them use magic is just one of the few weird things that actually isn't common back there.

But with how little Fabian knows about how brains work, and with how much he's used to learning new, strange information all the time, this feels like something he can just absorb. Sure, Krouse has extra brains.

In fact-- ]

Good for you, man! You are big-brained!

[ Look at this - very literal - compliment he can give him now. Fabian seems to think it's hilarious, judging by the grin on his face, and the jock back pat he's giving the other only a moment later. ]

Though I imagine other people in your world must feel incredibly cheated. I know I would, if the only reason I couldn't have some sort of power was merely because I was born with less brains than someone else! [ In that case, Fabian definitely would be screwed.. There's not a whole lot going on up there..

But who knows if he's even aware of that irony about it, honestly. ]

[ The backpat and compliment jostle a laugh out of Krouse even while he rolls his eyes. Fabian's not completely wrong about how unpowered people feel about parahumans, but the way he puts it makes it seem smaller, less fraught.

It'd be nice if that were true, so Krouse decides it might as well be for their purposes. ]

It's not my fault I was born with natural advantages.

I mean, it's the same for you, right? Athletic, good-looking, heir to the domains of hell...must be nice.

[ He heaves an exaggerated wistful sigh, tongue firmly in cheek, and shoves Fabian back lightly. ]

I guess we'll have to suffer the plight of being above average as nobly as we can.

[ He laughs the moment he's lightly shoved like that. ]

Hey, for the record, I'm no heir to the domains of hell! Not yet, anyway. [ Although that would imply that his father could somehow perish all over again down there in hell - and that's something Fabian really doesn't want to think about.

He'll gladly stay without a personal piece of hell if it means that he still gets to have his father present in some way. ]

That's my friend Fig's thing! In fact, I am only the heir to a vast, infinite fortune gathered through various conquests! [ He says it so dramatically, almost like he's aware of the irony of that still being way more than most people inherit.

(He's, in fact, not aware.) ]

Perhaps I will have to buy a Teleport spell with that so I can keep up with my big-brained friend!

[ Discovering Fabian is rich is like discovering that a bird with paddle feet and waterproof feathers spends most of its time in wetlands. Krouse looks impressed anyway, eyebrows raised as he nods approvingly.

He has a slightly different relationship to money than he used to. He never really went without anything growing up. They weren't rich, but most people aren't. A little thrifting and couponing never hurt anyone.

Then he ended up on the wrong side of a legal wage, and what money was worth changed overnight. Crime pays, if you're doing it right. It makes sense that scales. The apparently complicated political system of hell is the more interesting revelation. ]

Or you could pay me to teleport you. [ He says, straight-faced. ] I accept all precious metals, gemstones, and the US dollar.

[ Then he chuckles, shaking his head. ]

Or an IOU, since I'm guessing the vast, infinite fortune isn't tucked into one of your pockets? [ Not that he can entirely rule it out. ] And so...is your friend sort of a devilish intern, in this scenario?

[ Fabian smiles in that sort of way that makes it obvious that he indeed does not have anything of value here in this place, and yet sticks his hand into his pocket all the same - just to emerge from said pocket again holding a protein bar. He holds it out to Krouse. ]

Well.. I imagine this might do in the meantime?

[ He'll even hold it out a little longer - just in case the other might not have packed well or not had anything to eat in this dumb maze in a while. It's a joke, yes, but it's also a genuine attempt to help a friend. Fabian finds those two things often go well together, after all.

And in the meantime he seems glad to just prattle on. This is Fabian we're talking about, after all. He loves the sound of his own voice. ]

And-- it is just that her father is an actual demon, you see. With a domain in hell and all, so she took that one over for him. My papa is a rather new addition to Hell in comparison, so he is still carving out his spot in there. Though he is very determined to kill the king of Hell himself and take over that spot! [ You should always take a moment to brag about your father's exploits, as far as Fabian is concerned. ] It is much more difficult to get that sort of thing done as a mortal who was sent down to Hell after death, but if anyone could do it, it's my papa!

[ If Fabian hadn't kept talking, Krouse might have taken the protein bar with the intention of splitting it, and the difference between refusal and acceptance with it. The chipper clarification of parental circumstances puts a damper on his appetite.

He waves off the protein bar with an awkward smile, eyes flitting over Fabian's still cheerful face. ]

He sounds like a guy who gets things done.

[ When in doubt, follow the lead. He guesses that the death of your father and his condemnation to hell doesn't mean what it sounds like when you can keep in touch with his rise to power.

He's still not sure it's great. More like moving to another country than a permanent severance, but the way Fabian talks about his father - he has to miss him. ]

It sounds like you take after him. [ He offers, tamping down his uncertainty and brightening his smile back to its previous wattage. ] Should I be watching out for you making a move on Aurora?

[ Hey, no harm, no foul! Fabian stares for a second after Krouse seems to indicate he's good, then shrugs as he puts it back into his pockets. More for him later. Or more to share later.

Besides, even at this point, talking about his papa or papa-related topics always take precedence. ]

Maybe.

[ He grins a little bit as he says it. Which.. makes it seem like a joke. And yes, it is light and playful, but at the same time-- ]

I'm not so sure I trust anything in this place just yet. [ You know, considering they were just dumped into a murder maze and all. ] If at any point I feel that they're attempting to pull the wool over our eyes or using us in some way, then I definitely might think up a plan together with my friends to put a stop to that.

It's kind of our specialty, you see.

[ Wouldn't be the first world-ending threat he's fought, anyway! It's your your average Tuesday event by now. Fabian doesn't seem too concerned about the idea.

If anything, he seems kind of confident. ]

[ I should introduce you to someone else I know.

He almost says it. The back and forth of decent conversation in the middle of a crisis has made his tongue looser than it should be. That's half of it, at least. The other half is the open confidence Fabian is practically glowing with, like he's just as ready to tackle whatever the world throws at him as he claims he is.

For a moment, Krouse wants to let himself believe it. That if they all get together and try their best, they'll be able to put a stop to it. Sure, he'll introduce Fabian to Clarke. Rope Amy in, if she's feeling generous. And why not fucking Tattletale while he's at it? ]

You'll have to keep me in the loop. I'd hate to miss out on the prison break of the century, if it comes to that.

[ He doesn't skip a beat on the lie. Pretending that things will work out in the end is kind of his specialty. ]

I'll settle for getting out of here first, though. If you've got some ideas on speeding that up, don't hold back.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

MISSION 002

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