(no subject)

[queendaze]

Who: Anyone
When: Day 13, late in the evening
Where: The Dolph-Inn's tavern
What: A sudden formal address by the Scout Leader?!

[on the lower level of the inn, you have a bespectacled girl in an intense cargo outfit looking over a clipboard, mumbling under her breath.]

"Princess"? I told them to write Scout Leader, why is it that royalty seems more important than my position even when it comes to my work? Where's the resp—

[—finally she realizes that a number of you have assembled, so she straightens her posture and clears her throat.]



G-Greetings, explorers! I am Cecilia Aria-Rita Euphemia, leader of the Scouts who discover the labyrinths. Though it was the Queen who invited you here, I'm the one who is actually akin to what you might call a "boss." I might have even briefly spoken to some of you before... There's no time for chit-chat, I have quite a bit to explain, so please don't speak until I've finished.

I am here tonight to inform you that I've noticed something very strange about the latest developments caused by these labyrinths. My team called me crazy, but I know I'm onto something: the labyrinths aren't releasing the things they've stolen, they're recreating them in a different fashion, adding some flair of their own. The lake? Standard water, yes, quite. The forest? Well, that's much thicker than I recall. As for that tropical beach? It was never that tropical. This is a warm climate, but not one in which I've seen palm trees. The shipwreck along the coast makes no sense either since I have no recollection of a wreck happening along the coast. See, I have a knack for observing the subtleties that nobody else native to this kingdom can seem to notice, perhaps because I'm the only one who paid attention long enough in primary school to know what palm trees are.

[with a smug grin plastered across her face, she pushes up her spectacles.]

Long story short, I'm making a bold move: I'm transplanting you explorers to an abandoned city that no longer exists. We focused our efforts on Port Perplex at first, because we wanted to strengthen a thriving imports town known for its tourism. Port Perplex is important to our kingdom, and the things here simply needed restored. The lake needed water, the ocean needed fixed. Being as we didn't know what to expect as a result of these labyrinth explorations, having you clear the labyrinths here in Port Perplex was us "playing it safe." But, in this empty town, there'd be nothing to "restore" so much as actually needing to be completely "recreated."



[she leans forward, speaking in a low, hushed tone.]

That's why I'm not "playing it safe" anymore. We're doing something big. Now that I know the labyrinths could be "recreating" what they stole, or possibly spitting up something completely different, I want to see how far it goes. I even heard that the townsfolk reported a weird, strong girl showing up after a labyrinth. Where did she come from? Know what, I want to learn about what these labyrinths can return to us, if that's really what we ought to be calling it here.

So, I thought, what if we try to eradicate the labyrinths under a completely abandoned area in which hardly anything is still standing? Will the labyrinths give us something... different? How different are we talking here? Are the labyrinths themselves influencing these results? Look—I know that there's not much evidence, but I just know there's something more to these labyrinths that we can't get by dilly-dallying around Port Perplex all day. I just know it. Trust me on...



...this.

...

[got carried away there, whoops]

C-continuing: there are "good" reasons beyond the pursuit of knowledge to seek out the labyrinths surrounding this particular "nonexistent" town as opposed to towns that still exist. This once grandiose city was of the first areas to be immediately and nearly completely taken by the cataclysm. There's a high level of labyrinth activity, if it can be said as such, around there. Furthermore, it forced everyone to relocate, so it goes without saying that it's been uninhabited for quite some time now.

Having explained this, I can now tell you that we've had an issue with overpopulation for a while, too. I know you noticed how tight and overwhelming the housing is in Port Perplex. Despite how small this town is, there are quite a number of people here. The other towns aren't any different. People... people won't stop producing children either, which doesn't help given the current situation in which my sis—

[that there is a deliberate pause. what was she getting at again?? oh well, she picks back up in an even tone]

That's why, within the next few days—the time it will take for my Scouts to have gathered resources and make this possible—we'll be sending you to this place in order to eradicate the labyrinths and supposedly "release" what you can from there. And being as I'm the leader who pushed for this, my Scouts and I will be personally joining you guys this time. This is a path of discovery, as well as a path for improving the kingdom all the more. So, take care of yourselves, prepare yourselves, and enjoy the festivi...ties?



Oh, and I hope nobody has any complaints. I know what one of you are going to ask. I'll answer it: I've already gotten Her "Majestic" Majesty's approval. But... if you do have any complaints, please take a sheet from this box, write your issue on it, and put it back.

[she holds up a full tissue box that reads... "TISSUES". the "T" has definitely been crossed out with a marker. her thin smile practically reads "i'd like to see you try."]

"Boss" or not, complaints of that nature should be reserved for the Queen herself. Hopefully she should be making an appearance around the time that we transplant ourselves in the new location. However, if you have any questions regarding the material that I just addressed, or you'd like to explain your latest labyrinth explorations, please step up, for I'd enjoy that quite a bit!

[she gestures towards the bar, the one the innkeeper is currently standing behind at the ready.]

And, but of course, free drinks on me tonight. It's as they say, "knock yourself out." Some of you look like you need the break.

(( OOC Post for your OOC informational needs! ))

Comments

[ninetyninelives]

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[queendaze]

[smile smile smile

holds out the TISSUE box? there are tissues in it.]

[ninetyninelives]

You didn't mention food and housing.

[queendaze]

Oh!

[wow, a legitimate concern. she pulls the TISSUE box back.]

The Queen will be giving everyone some of her specially enchanted tents for the time being. When we arrive, we'll have a base camp set up. As for rations... I know we'll have enough.

[ninetyninelives]

You know we'll have enough? Are we going to this abandoned area for a set amount of time, then?

[queendaze]

We'll get—deliveries, as we need them. The Queen informed me that, if this venture is fruitless, we must return to Port Perplex and continue as planned. As such, she's arranged for limited rations since she doesn't know how long we might be out there.

I think she doubts us. Only, I know that we'll be successful. I can feel it.

[ninetyninelives]

You feel it.

[queendaze]

Nnnnnot literally. We call them "hunches" around here.

[ninetyninelives]

So you have a hopeful guess.

[glorious]

[...JUST SMILES.]

I assume the decision has already been made and that complaining about an abrupt move would be futile?

[queendaze]

[~smile~]

Futile indeed.

It took some convincing to get the Queen to go along with such a decision... I know it'll take convincing for you, too?

[glorious]

[makes a thoughtful sound]

If it's futile then I'll simply save myself the effort and say I'm convinced. I still intend to uphold my end of the bargain after all.

[queendaze]

Excellent. And the Queen will continue to hold her up end of the bargain, just as she's initially agreed upon.

By the way, are you willing to tell me of your labyrinth experiences?

[glorious]

[a pause]

I am, yes. Though the last one was particularly...unpleasant.

[queendaze]

Unpleasant, you say?

[glorious]

I lost an ear during it and was stabbed multiple times. Two of my comrades were similarly tortured, and there were many others who were in different rooms going through their own torments.

[queendaze]

...t-torture.

[tightening her fists at her side]

Sir, I'm so sorry. I had no idea the labyrinths could be like that.

[whopraysfor]

We've only been here two weeks. Or less than that. Is that really enough to notice a pattern?

[queendaze]

Hehe... You sound like the Queen when I first proposed this idea. ...and my team of Scouts.

It certainly is. In fact, if we'd like to address the details here, I noticed this pattern within two days—a fraction of two weeks. I know this action doesn't seem logical, but in the name of knowledge and all that's good for the kingdom's future, I'd prefer to address the possibilities head-on rather than sit around and wait until the moment's right.

If my predictions are wrong, we can return to Port Perplex and continue as usual.

[whopraysfor]

What's the bigger picture here? IF the labyrinths are recreating, rather than restoring...

[queendaze]

That means there's more to the labyrinths than we understand.

[...she sounds a bit confused herself, really]

To be honest—there's not much we know aside from the cause being a magical cataclysm around a hundred years ago.

[whopraysfor]

Are there any records from that time? Journals or something?

[queendaze]

None. We have no information of the sorts. In a way that's most mystifying, all of that information disappeared. It makes less sense than our kingdom's forgotten name.

You've brought up something interesting. Do you know what this once grandiose city, the one I am sending the explorers and Scouts to, once held, stored, kept?

[whopraysfor]

Judging from your hints... a library?

[queendaze]

Right. This city once had the largest storage of archives in the entire kingdom—I know that, at the time, it was larger than anything our neighboring countries had to offer, too.

In spite of the fact that the labyrinths are supposedly recreating things, I'm hoping that there's an opportunity to unearth the kingdom's missing history along the way.