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

[acreage]

INTERESTING. He runs a hand idly over everything but the eyeball, briefly lifts the fishing rod in his hands.

[molineux]

"The first two requirements, being neither clothed nor nude, and neither accompanied nor alone, makes me think of these two items," her fingers gently rest on the fishing net and the stuffed animal - the latter of which she squeezes gently.

"But I'm not sure what neither eating nor fasting might entail. I thought drinking, perhaps? But there's no chalice of any sort."

[acreage]

"How do you figure that?" he asks, nodding towards the fishing net and stuffed dog.

[molineux]

"If I were to wrap the net around myself, I'd be the perfect balance between being clothed and nude, right? And the dog represents a living creature, but given it's a stuffed toy of some sort, having it with me would ensure that I'm not accompanied nor alone."

Her gaze falls across the rest of the table's contents. "Do you suppose we can also just hold the plate with the carving knife in one hand, we can assume that means we're not eating, but since we're planning on eating, that means we're not fasting either?"

[acreage]

"I think you're right about the dog," he says thoughtfully, enough so that it's clear he isn't insulting the rest of her supposition — it's just that the one part makes most sense to him.

After a beat, though, he shrugs. "It's worth a try. I don't have any better ideas."

ROLL

[molineux]

"...Right." It only occurs to her then that to test her theory, she'll have to actually wear the damn net, but her hesitation stems from more disbelief than any embarrassment about baring her body. "You should probably look away. But - if I get this wrong and she attacks, you don't need to worry about my modesty to save me. Okay?"

It's the only warning Jim gets before Margaery begins untucking her shirt. Once she's gotten the fish net draped around her, she pauses before putting the straw hat on her head (might as well), and opts to hold the stuffed dog under one arm and instead of the knife and plate, grips the fishing pole in her other hand.

She approaches the mermaid. "May we please leave?"

[poleaxed]

You may, it says to Margaery, before turning its verdant gaze on Holden, expectant.

ROLL

[molineux]

There's a small huff of (relieved) laughter before the sound of Margaery quickly getting dressed again.

"Here," she carefully hands Jim the net, stuffed toy, and fishing pole before she attempts to walk past the mermaid while back in her own clothes.

[poleaxed]

The mermaid practically hisses. Not anymore.

[acreage]

Of fucking course.

He'd accepted the items, not thinking the mermaid might change her mind, but now hands them right back to Margaery.

"You go ahead. Maybe they'll..." motherfucking spirits. "...appear back on the table or something, after you go."

ROLL

[molineux]

It's evident that Margaery's unhappy about this outcome - and the choice they have to make. Being alone in a haunted maze with only a net for cover is the last thing she'd like to face, but it appears they have no other choice.

"Alright, but I'm hopeful that once I pass through, she might disappear and you'll be free to pass through, too. If not... we'll figure it out."

She's a bit grumpier as she strips this time, with much less trepidation since she knows the mermaid will let her pass, but Margaery is polite as she once again requests passage.

This time, when the mermaid allows her to, she steps through.

[poleaxed]

The shrubbery wall melts before Margaery, and does not replicate once she has passed it. There's just a Margaery-shaped hole in it.

ROLL

[acreage]

What happens when Holden approaches the hole?

[poleaxed]

The hole closes. But it reopens if he backs away.

ROLL

[molineux]

What if Margaery attempts to come back through the hole?

[poleaxed]

The shrubbery will continue to wither away from her.

How long is this going to take, asks the mermaid.

[acreage]

"Are you always this judgmental, or are we just special?"

Okay fine, he takes another look at the table.

[poleaxed]

Mysteriously, there's another fishnet and stuffed animal. This one is a nug.

The mermaid rolls her eyes. It is my job. As is yours to prove yourself.

[acreage]

"Prove my willingness to undress?"

Commented, as he pulls off his shirt. But he does put on the net and grab the nug, plus the plate, and return to the mermaid.

[poleaxed]

She, uh, winks. Neither eating nor fasting?

ROLL...

[acreage]

[Game show wrong answer buzzer]

Anyway, if the fishing pole has also re(?)appeared, he'll grab that, probably muttering under his breath.

[poleaxed]

The fishing pole has not reappeared.

The mermaid yawns. Are onions food, or more flavoring?

[acreage]

He opens his mouth, as if to quip back — then stops, eyebrows furrowing, and considers. Well, why not. He puts the plate back, doubles back, and returns with an onion stalk.

(There's a moment, as he picks the onion, where he's concerned he's going to be murdered by plant spirits for the man-on-plant violence he's committing here.)

"Now?"

[poleaxed]

The mermaid melts away in a cloud of leaves, the separating wall along with it.

Probably you guys should, like, get dressed or whatever.

[molineux]

Margaery can honestly only laugh when everything disappears and she catches a brief glimpse of Jim also in fishing net attire. Out of respect, she averts her eyes and focuses on retrieving her clothes again.

"Well. I'm glad we didn't incite her rage? But just so you know, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to see these nets the same way again."