The end of summer was quickly approaching and that meant that Mischievous had to start getting ready for the Winter Market. "You understand, Acorn, that the earlier we start, the more successful we'll be!" She shakes her head to wake her sleeping companion, who nearly falls off with a chitter. "Come on, lazy, I need your help,"

"This is the cave I went to last summer," Mischievous whispers. "It was full of bugs and the spiders that were eating them,"

Acorn just chatters nonsense and continues arranging sticks on the floor in a random fashion.

"Hmm you're right... they didn't seem to like all the spiders last year..."

The sound of sticks breaking draws the acha's eyes to the small pit they had covered in sticks and leaves. A small cave worm wriggled within.

"Hey it's not a spider!"

"Listen, this is for the stump," Mischievous explained. "You're going to be fine! Acorn is going to get you out of the way when something comes close."

Pinecone sat upon a bed of leaves chirping sweetly. Beneath her was another pit, covered with leaves.
She was very light, but anything heavier would fall through and into the hole.

Soon enough Pinecone's chirps attracted a lynx. "Oooh, Acorn go!" No answer. "Acorn?" Mischievous turned to see the sugar glider sleeping at her side.

A growl, a chirp, a thump, a yowl!

Mischievous ran forward and sighed in relief, seeing Pinecone sitting innocently on the edge of the pit.

"Okay Pinecone, never trust anyone,"

Trusting Acorn with honey had been a bad idea. The tree was now completely covered rather than strategically slathered. A bird would have to be blind to not realize there was something up with this tr- Thump!

Mischievous stared up at the tiny songbird that slid across a slick branch to smack into the honey-coated bark of the trunk..

"Okay... a bit dazed but he'll work!"

"Awww..." Mischievous eyed the destroyed  stick and web cage-like contraption she'd spent way too much time making with the help of all her leftover stump spiders. The mice within were gone, save for a tiny splatter of blood. "At least we didn't use Pinecone this time..."

Mischievous sighed as she stared at the second destroyed trap of the day. "Maybe this is a sign I should go back to digging pits..."

"You are all wonderful and I thank you for your webs and sacrifice!"

The acha hums and tilts a coconut shell full of spiders out on the ground.

They skittered about and attracted a giant moth.

Heading back to check the cave pit trap rewarded Mischievous with another caveworm! This one a bit bigger than the last one.

"Why are these worms so cute..."

Acorn unknowingly becomes the bait this time. A lynx stalks the small creature as it wanders the ground looking for stones and sticks. It surprises the sugar glider, who flies up into the trees. Mischievous kicks it in the head in it's moment of distraction, knocking it unconscious.

"I am the trap!" she cackles.

  Another lynx jumps out of the grass with a scream and charges, only to screech as it falls through a layer of leaves and into a pit.

"See, pits never fail me!" She looks around the clearing with a critical eye. "I just need to remember where I put them all..."

"Snakes are great," Mischievous says as the snake curls around her neck after being grabbed from the rushes. "Look, just because I'm warm and friendly it forgot I bit it already!"

"Hmm, not as much as I hoped for, but there's always more spiders..." Acorn chatters at her and pulls on an ear. "Ah yeah I forgot, no spiders. Bees are still pretty fun, right? Should we get more bees?"

The two chitter back and forth, having a conversation that neither really understand as they wander back towards the stump they call home.

[imgleft]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/ ... symbol.png[/imgleft][imgright]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/ ... ymbol2.png[/imgright]

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A haunted maze that's fun for the whole family. Explore if you dare, but know that the longer you stay, the more horrors you will encounter.

Rules
1. The main objective of this booth is to navigate the web maze and find flowers for Crimson.
2. You can do one maze run a day. The day resets midnight EST (Note to self - remember to check if DST is still a thing).
3. You can explore until STRESS forces you to leave the maze for the day OR before that if you decide to stop early.
4. STRESS can result in AFFLICTIONS, which will affect the subsequent maze run.
5. There is also the chance of obtaining VIRTUES, which will also affect the subsequent maze run.

How to Play

This booth is all dice rolls and prompt-based RP. Each roll should be accompanied by some form of RP (or art if you'd rather that) of your kin's experiences. Length doesn't matter, but if you reach 500 words, you can use it for ascension requirements!

Step 1 Post your tracking form. This will be where you keep all of your links and information for your runs.

Step 2 Roll 1d13 to see which area you end up in first.

Step 3 Consult the area guide below to see what happens next.

Step 4 If your STRESS isn't at 10, roll another 1d13 to explore your next area.
When your STRESS reaches 10, see step 5.

Step 5 Your mind is tested. Roll 1d10
If you roll a 7, 8, 9 or 10, you leave the maze with a clear head.
If you roll anything else, you fail, take on that number's corresponding AFFLICTION, and stumble out of the maze feeling lightheaded and sick.
You can come back tomorrow to do it all again. If you dare.

Area Guide

The entrance of the maze lies just beyond the smiling Totoma doe that rests against the cursed stump. A large copse of white-painted trees. But as you look closer you see that it's not frost that clings to the trunks and branches, but layers and layers of insect webbing.

"My children and I spent ages setting this up," Crimson coos. "They're really hard workers. I hope you enjoy the fruits of our labor,"

Area 1

Spoiler

This area is empty, save for random puddles of still, smelly water. Flies hover and buzz around your head. Haunting laughter fills your ears and sends a shiver down your spine. +2 STRESS

Area 2

Spoiler

You enter an area that smells horrible. The ground is wet and sticky and there is a pool of still, rotten water. To get to the next area, you must get around the muck. Roll 1d3.

1. You try to keep to the edge of the muddy mess, but you slip and fall forward into the surprisingly deep water. It smells disgusting and now you smell disgusting. +2 STRESS
2. You're being incredibly careful until you're distracted by a shadow beneath the water. You lean forward to try to get a better look. Yellow glowing eyes peer back. +4 STRESS
3. You manage to make it through the muddy area and grab a sad mud-covered lily on your way out. +1 ticket

Area 3

Spoiler

You enter an area with an odd design dug deep into the ground. It looks like it's been partially filled with water. The smell hits you when you lean closer, and you realize that it's not water, but a shallow pool of blood. You could...

SACRIFICE
You feel the sudden compulsion to add a bit of your own blood to the mix. Maybe it'll help you in the maze. Maybe it won't. But it's a haunted maze, might as well play along... right? +6 STRESS

OR

NOPE
Not today! You back out the way you came and go to explore another area, snagging a blood-red rose on your way out. +2 tickets

Area 4

Spoiler

A totally normal patch of wildflowers rests in this area. You kneel down to collect a few blooms, when you feel a pinch at the back of your neck. You whip around quickly, but only manage to catch a glimpse of a winged shape before it disappears above the walls. Your neck starts to feel hot and itch terribly, but at least you got some flowers!  +3 tickets +4 STRESS 

Area 5

Spoiler

You step into an area that has many thorn-tipped rose bushes. Most of the flowers have been picked clean, but you manage to find a single beautiful red rose nestled in a nearby bush. Thorns scrape at you as you remove it and leave your mouth stinging. +1 ticket +1 STRESS

Area 6

Spoiler

ENEMY ENCOUNTER
While bending down to pick a flower, you are ambushed by large buzzing creatures that thirst for your blood. Roll 1d5

ODDS: You hold your own and manage to escape the beasts. What were those things?! +1 ticket +3 STRESS

EVENS: You're knocked unconscious. You awake feeling nauseous and stumble on, flower forgotten. +6 STRESS

Area 7

Spoiler

You stumble over something as you enter this area. Looking down, you see that you've tripped over a skull far too big to belong to a familiar. Looking up, you realize that you're surrounded by numerous piles of bones. Crimson really went all out on these decorations............  +3 STRESS

Area 8

Spoiler

You enter an area that is not as dismal as the rest. It's lighter and you can hear soft birdsong in the treetops above. It feels like nothing terrible has touched this place... yet. You could.......

HAVE A REST
Sit among the flowers and try to clear your mind. Cleanse yourself of any long-term AFFLICTIONS you may have picked up during your maze journeys. - AFFLICTIONS

OR

MOVE ON
Who needs rest? You need to get out of here! Grab a marigold and keep going. +1 ticket

Area 9

Spoiler

You stumble into this area to find another kin surrounded by giant worms. It looks like they've dropped their collection of flowers. You could...

HELP THEM
You choose to help the kin fight back the insects, but lose all of your flowers in the process. The kin thanks you profusely and together you walk to the maze exit. - 5 tickets Roll a VIRTUE.

OR

TAKE THE FLOWERS AND RUN
You grab the forgotten flowers and sneak your way to the next area while the worms are distracted. You hear a scream behind you. Then silence. + 5 tickets

Area 10

Spoiler

ENEMY ENCOUNTER
The webs in this area have completely blocked out the sun. It's dark, frighteningly so. Suddenly, you see a light blink into existence nearby. Could that be the exit? Then another light appears. And another. Soon you're surrounded by small bobbing lights. Well, that's weird. Roll 1d10.

EVENS - GO TOWARDS THE LIGHT
What could possibly go wrong? You walk forward towards one of the floating lights. You squint into the brightness and catch a glimpse of long, sharp teeth before they're lunging towards you. Well this is terrible. +5 STRESS

ODDS - RUN AWAY
Weird floating lights are not to be trifled with. You turn tail and run to a different area. +2 STRESS

Area 11

Spoiler

Your shadow on the maze wall is joined by two others. You turn and see nothing. You turn back and the shadows, including yours, are gone. +2 STRESS

Area 12

Spoiler

ENEMY ENCOUNTER
You stumble into a small area filled with flowers and wriggling... things. A group of giant cave worms hiss in your direction. Roll 1d5

ODDS: You either fight off the worms or run away. Why are there so many bugs in this maze? You manage to grab a few flowers on your way out. +2 tickets +4 STRESS

EVENS: You're knocked unconscious. You awake wrapped in a cocoon of sticky cave worm silk. It takes a while for someone to find you and by then you are DONE with this maze. +10 STRESS

Area 13

Spoiler

"Run," a voice whispers near your ear. "Run before it's too late,"

You quickly turn to see nothing but a small daisy on the ground next to a suspicious red puddle. This is fine. +1 ticket +3 STRESS

Afflictions

Afflictions are temporary curses that will hinder your subsequent maze run. They take effect the run after you roll them and expire the run after that.

So for example : I fail my STRESS save on my Monday maze run. I factor the new affliction into my Tuesday maze run. On my Wednesday maze run, the affliction is cleansed and I can play normally again (Unless I've been cursed with another affliction ).

You roll for an affliction when your STRESS reaches 10. Roll 1d10. 7-10 is a success. 1-6 fails and you are cursed with the corresponding affliction.

1. Irrational : Kin that gain the Irrational affliction will do the opposite of what they normally would within the confines of the maze.
2. Fearful : Kin that gain the Fearful affliction will suffer from double the amount of listed STRESS from each room.
3. Paranoid : Kin that gain the Paranoid affliction will begin each run after with a starting STRESS level of 5.
4. Selfish : Kin that gain the Selfish affliction will always choose flowers over friends.
5. Masochistic : Kin that gain the Masochistic affliction will automatically fail enemy encounters & readily give blood when the opportunity arises.
6. Hopeless : Kin that gain the Hopeless affliction will give up when their STRESS reaches 5 instead of 10.

Virtues

Virtues are temporary boons that will help your maze run. They take effect the run after you roll them and expire the run after that.

So for example : I roll a virtue on Monday. I factor the new virtue into my Tuesday maze run. On my Wednesday maze run, the virtue is cleansed and I play normally again.

To roll for a virtue you must first be prompted to do so during your exploration. Then roll 1d5. 1-3 is a success and you are granted the corresponding virtue. 4-5 fails and you get nothing.

1. Courageous : Kin that gain the Courageous virtue will stay in the maze until their STRESS level reaches 15 instead of 10.
2. Focused : Kin that gain the Focused virtue will stay set on the task and ignore the creepiness surrounding them. They take half of the STRESS listed in encounters.
3. Powerful : Kin that gain the Powerful virtue will automatically win enemy encounters.