CLOSED | treehaus.

[poleaxed]

WHO: Jone, James Holden, Beth Greene, Gabranth, Margaery Tyrell, Adrasteia, Edgard
WHAT: Haunted hedge maze.
WHEN: Mid-Ferventis
WHERE: Orlais!
NOTES: A way less sexy Labyrinth.

WHAT'S GOING ON: To review, Jone has been asked to sort out a hedge maze on the Gaume estate. It seems to be haunted-- spirits have taken the form of various plants and trees within the huge hedge maze out back. While traveling through the maze, the walls will shift; your characters will be split up into groups, re-split, etc.

While it's possible to beat the shit out of some enchanted plantlife, for whatever reason, you can't hack your way through the walls of the maze. More shrubbery grows in its place no matter what you do. Otherwise, this would be over very quickly. Don't question it. This is a video game, and we should probably just all relax.

HOW DO THE MECHANICS WORK: This is a plot with rolling!

The main focus of the plot will be overcoming riddles and puzzles to reach the end, but you can get clues with rolls. Unlike in Murderhaus, rolls function to investigate the situation, not determine the outcome of actions (IE, I'll give you clues). When you want to roll, put ROLL in the subject of your comment, and bold what your character is investigating. I will reply with a clue, the helpfulness of which will be determined by behind-the-scenes rolls. Likewise, since there is a plant NPC for each scenario, do the same to ask them a question; their helpfulness will be determined by rolls as well.

For example: Bob studies at the strange pattern of pebbles on the ground, etc. Alice asks the enchanted tree, "what the fuck?" and so on.

If you think you've come up with the answer to the riddle, put ANSWER in the subject line, so I know to pop in and NPC spirits' reactions, etc.

(I've purposefully given you guys puzzles and riddles that have multiple potential answers! Likewise, if you come up with something I wasn't expecting but still works, I'll count it as a success. I'm not here to make anyone squirm. Have fun, and if you get bored of a puzzle, do the following...)

If your characters are out of ideas and just want to move on to the next action, put NO ANSWER in your subject line, and feel free to wreck the shit out of some enchanted shrubbery. While your characters can't beat up the walls, decimating any spirit-enchanted topiary NPCs will get them through the conundrum. I won't need to NPC this, because the spirits won't put up much of a fight. Please imagine some sad little Henson-esque 'wahh oh noooo' noises, though.

If you have any questions, hit me up!

After characters have solved a certain amount of puzzles / riddles, I'll open up a new toplevel and link you to it for endgame. Instructions on how that will work will be revealed there.

WHAT DOES MY CHARACTER SEE:

Upon coming up to the maze, the entrance is blocked by a network of vines, all entangled in one central knot. A spectral voice emanates from the maze:

O! Challenger, come forward now,
to give us peace in your solemn vow:
untie this knot and enter as our true friend.

Jone studies the knot before rolling her eyes and slicing it through with her poleaxe. There is a screeching scream from somewhere far off, twisted and inhuman. The cut vines turn vengeful, and quickly pull Jone inside the maze before here is time to react.

Entering the maze, there is no sign of Jone or where she may be. The hedge walls quickly begin to shift, separating the group.

Comments

[muckspout]

Edgard grins at Adrasteia and elbows her.

"Is it just me or are they flirting with us? Snake didn't talk about getting wooed."

[kantikoy]

Adrasteia snorts softly, pushing her hair out of her face. "I think it's a riddle, but I'm not sure what about." A harm that can be survived but not forgotten. Childbirth? No, that doesn't make much sense. She shakes her head. "Something that doesn't apply to men, maybe."

ROLL

[muckspout]

"Or just can't be ruled." To have my wares through kindness, striking me not. "And you have to be nice?"

He shrugs and decides to experiment. "You look lovely today?" He says to the closest Topiary Lady.

[poleaxed]

The topiary lady makes a sound like rustling leaves, perhaps her version of laughter. Roses bloom on her cheeks like a blush.

Next to her, one of her plant sisters says:

Do you need it repeated, to guess
the very nothing you address?

ROLL

[kantikoy]

'The spears of terrible cruelty' and the roses on the topiary's cheeks make Adrasteia think of flowers with thorns, but she's uncertain. She bites her lip as she stares at the figures. "Is it a rose and its thorns?" She feels like she's wrong but there's little to be lost in asking.

[poleaxed]

The topiary women clap, making the sound of leaves shaking in the breeze.

One says:

A fine answer!
Close in confidence, nearer in nuance.
What of disguises?
How can men claim not their rule?
Clever creatures creeping closer.

ROLL

[muckspout]

Edgard sits in quiet contemplation for awhile after the woman stops speaking. Suddenly his eyes widen and his face lights up.

He balls one of his fists, smacks it into his other hand and shrieks at the top of his lungs,

"ORGASM!"

[poleaxed]

Can a topiary look concerned? They look a little concerned. One opens her mouth to speak, before her sister puts a leafy hand over her mouth.

Does that generally involve spears?

Somebody forgot about the poetry stuff; it's fine.

ROLL

[kantikoy]

"Depends on who all is involved and what we're calling spears, I'd think."

She grins at Edgard; it's a good guess, and she loves his enthusiasm.

"What about the breaking of the maidenhead of a virgin girl?"

[poleaxed]

The garden maidens look around, and speak with each other in the language of flowers: Each blooms with different colors in turn, answering and asking. Finally, one turns to them.

We had meant the answer
To be a mistress
Or a honeybee,
But that answer does suffice.

The topiary women begin to bloom into flowers, petals dancing in the wind. The path before them opens, the way no longer blocked.

[muckspout]

Edgard whoops holding up his arms. He turns to Adrasteia.

"I told you they were flirting with us!" He shrieks.

onward to another puzzle or endgame, I'm easy with either

[kantikoy]

Adrasteia smiles. "You weren't wrong." Through to the newly opened pathway, then?