[DROP] open the gates

To Lena’s shock, the random speaking seemed to have worked – the strange mirror image stepping aside, and allowing the little fox to pass through.

She could see the curl of smoke beyond, and figured she was getting close – to what, she remained entirely uncertain. The little pulse of her racing heart did no such good in contemplating what lay at the end of this maze, but not to be undaunted, the fox managed her way through, easing along until there were roses.

Reaching out to snag.

Normally she wouldn’t hesitate to cease, desist, and study the plants, but the opportunity wasn’t a grand one. Instead, she compelled a few brethren (maybe some mice, or birds resting in the hedges nearby?) to distract the enervated flora, and make her way through.

--

[say]Lena tries to compel mice or birds nearby to distract the rose bush so she can sneak by.

(Beastmaster) can compel any sentient animals not marked with a ☆ for assistance (6 large, 12 medium, 20 small)[/say]

He might have come in for the flowers originally, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't eager to get to the center of the maze now that he was so close. Holding the few he'd already picked up earlier along the path, he quickened his steps in excitement.

And almost ran face-first into a whipping, thorny vine.

"Hey!" The courier scrambled back with a yelp and Boreal snorted in dismay as her snacks decided to bite back. Smoke trailed from her nostrils as she took a deep breath but Tal rested his hand on her muzzle to keep her from opening it and took a cautious step toward the flowery tangle.

"Uh. Look. I dunno if you can hear me?" Roses had hips, but he couldn't remember if they had ears. Maybe he was thinking about corn? "But I'm gonna take a bouquet of you guys to Safrin and Vi's shrine after this. So, how about we all go together?" His vest didn't protect his hands, but Tal reached forward anyways with his knife to try and prune the snarl back and collect the flowers so he could make his way past.

---

Tal tries to sweet-talk the roses by offering to take them to Safrin and Vi's shrine, and attempts to prune his way past and gather them into a bouquet.

Worst case scenario, he has his Goggles and his Vest to protect him.

Cunning is the name of the game here, children. And three of you have it.

@melita, to no one's surprise (and indeed, perhaps not even her own) does not.

Sweet-talking, distracting and a clever use of magic all prevail, allowing @lena, @talyson and @amanda to step through.

For the Honeybee's part, however, beating the roses into submission only prolongs the fight with them. Thorns tangle and swell and vines lash around her staff and her companions, along with the fire-haired warrior's feet, until she is dragged bodily into one of the hedges... and promptly spit out of the maze. Bad Melita. Go and think about what you have done.

As for the rest of you, congratulations. You have reached the Eye of Fire, burning eternally within its obsidian bowl. Not all seems right with it, though. It warbles and changes, as if it isn't quite... real.

There is an old legend about this place. That Abandoned would jump through the flames, hoping to amplify their magic. Perhaps you could try it too? Even if you don't have any magic to speak of, who knows what might happen...

---

CONGRATULATIONS TO @lena, @talyson and @amanda! You have won the Drop and have all gained +1 Luck! <3

You now have the option to jump across the Eye of Fire, and face whatever may be on the other side... (It's a KQ. It's a relic KQ, ok.)

Since the difficulty for relic KQs will automatically match the party's highest levelled character, please think carefully about your decision! Should you trigger the KQ, you will be unable to start any new threads until it is over, and there is a danger of permanent changes/death for your character. More information about Key Quests can be found in the Guidebook under "Quests".

Please respond with your character either jumping through the Eye, or deciding to leave the maze. There is no post order. You have 24 hours.

Amanda stared at the flaming eye. She crossed her arms and tilted her head, studying it. She remembered stories about it...stories about growing stronger with her magic. She had been thinking about that nonstop for months, wanting to be stronger, to learn new types of magic beyond what she already knew.

It would probably be dangerous. She might die. She really might die. But, she figured, she could die tomorrow anyway. She could get stuck in an undersea wreck and drown. She could get attacked in the wilds while out scavenging. She could get mugged and stabbed in the back streets of Torchline.

But for stronger magic...

"It's worth it," she said, running for the fire and jumping straight through.

---

Amanda jumps in. She's carrying a belt knife and a backpack containing flint, a rope, some feathers, some fruit, and some horns, hooves, and fangs cut off dead animals.

To Lena’s surprise, she’d…made it.

Her vulpine head turned back and forth, contemplating the consequences of advancing forward. Curiosity had always provided her with ample opportunities, sagacity, eternal wisdom…and some experiences had helped nurture and foster that growth.

And some, like those moments long ago in the Temple, pilfered and traced down the length of her spine, invoking hardships, strife, apprehension, and the ways in which she didn’t know the world quite as well as she would’ve liked.

On a whim, she stepped forward, shifting from fox to bird, and with a swirl of rosy plumage, launched over the fire.

--

[say]Lena flies over the fire as a bird – she only has herself and what’s listed as her abilities on her profile.[/say]

Gathering the flowers until he had a lovely bouquet, Tal slipped past the final guardian of the Eye and found himself in the center of the maze. And if he felt a little smug, well, he hadn’t come here intending to solve the riddle of the roses, but since he accidentally had, he might as well take a look at the fancy fire he’d heard bedtime stories about as a boy.

It was… weird. Off, somehow. An illusion instead of a real fire, maybe? ”I dunno, girl,” he mumbled to his dragon, where she huffed grumpy smoke rings at the eternal flame in draconic envy. ”Think it’ll make my items stronger?” Boreal paused to tilt her head at him and he grinned sheepishly. ”Yeah, probably not. But we won’t know if we don’t try, right?” He tucked his bouquet safely into his Bag and pulled his Goggles down, adjusting them firmly over his eyes – safety first! ”On three… One… Two…”

Man and dragon got a running start and leapt through the flames: ”Three!”

---

Tal has himself, everything on his profile (including his companion), a knife, and the contents of his Bag of Holding:
Bouquet of roses, long rope, glaive, half a dozen throwing axes, full-sized axe, first aid kit, canteen of water, leftover sandwich from lunch, and three changes of underwear.

And here we go...
[thread=7645]

---

~FIN