ALECTRYON

[soulping]

[You suddenly find yourselves standing at the beginning of a large hedge maze, one with walls that extend so far above your head you're not quite certain where they end. There is no entrance behind you, and the bushes are so thick and full of thorns that attempting to crawl through them will result in numerous scratches]

[There is no way to go but forward]

Comments

ROUND ONE

[soulping]

[On your right you find a large, wooden shelf with twelve jars sitting on top of it]

- A jar of rat tails
- A jar of tiger eyes
- A jar of rabbit feet
- A jar of dragon hearts
- A jar of snake tongues
- A jar of horse stomachs
- A jar of goat horns
- A jar of monkey fingers
- A jar of rooster claws
- A jar of pig ears

[Each jar is clearly labeled, and the contents are exactly what the labels purport them to be. Choose three!]

DISCUSSION

[soulping]

Re: DISCUSSION

[fightorflight]

[Grrrrrrroowwwwling]

I want food.

Re: DISCUSSION

[endsintheocean]

[Armin's voice is coming from somewhere in the shadows and sounding concerned]

Let's... not worry about food right now, okay? We need to get through this game.

DECISION

[soulping]

Re: DECISION

[secare]

( they'll take rooster claws, dragon hearts, and goat horns! )

ROUND TWO

[soulping]

[You move forward through the maze, the hedges looming ominously around you. And thankfully, it isn't long before you run into your first checkpoint]

[In front of you, and stretched across the path, is a large sphinx with a striped lioness' body. her wings are tucked at her sides, and she regards the group with a lazy, bored expression]

Mmmm. . . I would like something that makes a magnificent headdress. Do you have that for me, dears?

DISCUSSION

[soulping]

Re: DISCUSSION

[endsintheocean]

[sticking to the shadows (there seem to be a lot more of those than there should be, and they're unnaturally dark too)]

That sounds like the horns should fit.

DECISION

[soulping]

Re: DECISION

[secare]

( with respect, they offer the goat horns to the sphinx. )

Is there anything we can eat here?

ROUND THREE

[soulping]

[You walk through the maze's pathways for quite some time, taking sharp turns to the point of where you feel like you're going in circles. But eventually. . .]

[You stumble across another sphinx. Large, with blue fur and black hair, tiny wings protruding from his shoulders like stubs. he grumps at you all, chest puffed out formally.]

Something you can fill that snarls at you angrily when it is empty. Give it to me!

DISCUSSION

[soulping]

Re: DISCUSSION

[murimurimuri]

What a mean-spirited riddle.

Re: DISCUSSION

[endsintheocean]

We didn't take stomachs. We'll need to pass this one.

Re: DISCUSSION

[secare]

Wait. Wait, you guys. Aren't you being too literal about it?

A heart needs to be filled with love, right?

DECISION

[soulping]

Re: DECISION

[murimurimuri]

Pass.

ROUND FOUR

[soulping]

[You walk, and walk, and walk some more, until your feet begin to hurt and you start to wonder. . . how long is this maze anyway?]

[Until you find them. The last phoenix, crouched low on all fours and watching you with golden eyes. its lips are curled back in a snarl, but it doesn't pounce]

Something with rhythm that I can dance to the beat of. Immediately!

DISCUSSION

[soulping]

Re: DISCUSSION

[murimurimuri]

See? I told you the next one was going to want those hearts.

Re: DISCUSSION

[endsintheocean]

Well, that's a relief.

Re: DISCUSSION

[secare]

Whatever. It's the hearts then.

They can take it.

DECISION

[soulping]

Re: DECISION

[murimurimuri]

[offering the hearts]

Here you go.