Summer Camp Mysterious Maze Group 3 Closed

Interacting: @Santario Matrin as Angelique de Clairmont | @Maze Group 3
Mentioning: -

Action: Advocating for preparations

Edit: Slight formatting changes

English | Mandarin | Quotes

[Font="Book Antiqua"]The bespectacled Chinese boy reddened at the rebuke. It was hardly his fault that he had not been taught magic. Or that he had no idea what was even possible. For all he knew the maze was designed to shift itself based on their expectations!
Regardless of his personal feelings on the matter though, she had raised a fair point. He needed to be the eyes and the brain, since he was most definitely not going to be the muscle or the magic.
Now, what would help, what would help. What would help when going into a maze? Ming closed him mind and thought for several seconds, before the thought came to him.
Theseus!
"Wait," he all but shouted after the French girl. "Just one moment of your time, Miss Clairmont." Ming flinched at his own words. He had tried to say her name in the French way, but it had come off sounding choppy and stilted. He had only started his studies in French, and it would be some time before. Normally, he would have felt more self-conscious and awkward, but there was no time. Literally the entire group was going to rush into the central entrance.
"Hui Ming," the Chinese boy said stiffly, as a rushed means of introduction. It was horribly impolite, but needs must. "And I think we should prepare before we enter."
A deep breath to calm himself. His heart was running a hundred miles an hour. He did not like this. He would much rather not be the focus of the group. But he needed to calm down. He needed to explain.
Calm down, Ming!
"Look. I know that I know very little, but two things I think we should do before we go in." He looked up at Miss Clairmont, who was apparently the de facto leader of their group. "We should take a ball of thread and unwind it as we go. That way, we would be aware if we're going in circles. It was how Theseus managed to not get lost when he was in the Maze of the Minotaur."
A pause, as he tried to gauge the reaction to his interruption. Well, the milk is spilt, so there was little he could do. Almost meekly, he continued. "Perhaps taking the bucket is also a good idea, so I'll be taking that....?"[/font]

Middle Entrance

@Elana Jangleton, Angélique de Clairmont (iNPC @Santario Martin), Luka Volkov (iNPC @Kazuo Shimada), @Howard White, @Bloom Silverton, @Serena Bowen

There seemed to be a bit of solidarity with the group of young students as they discussed amongst each other on the best path to take. It was admirable and might prove useful once in the labyrinth but had they chosen right? It seemed that they would ignore the message left by the Groundskeeper and would press on into the great unknown! Once after another, the students would tentatively begin to wander inside the maw that was the middle entrance.

Not wanting to be left alone to their own devices, Serena Bowen quickly moved to join the larger group that had started their way into the maze. As soon as she crossed the threshold, however, there was a low rumbling and snapping sound all around her. Suddenly tendrils of roots and vines erupted from the opening. Branches weaved and pulled together as the hedges quickly closed off the entrance to the middle path, leaving the students standing in the dark corridor with no way to get out except through the maze. They had made their choice and the maze would not allow them to take it back.

With the entrance now closed, the path became darker and more still as the hedges offered no more movement. The path inside would quickly weave to the right through a winding, but open path. A short way down the path, however, the students would be faced with a new option. A narrow path branched sharply to the left while the main path seemed to continue forward for a short way. In the darkness, which path would they choose?

Available Directions: Turn Left or Go Forward

At the Entrances

@Hui Ming, @Selina Knight (Did not post)

Hui had proved that he was thinking the challenge through and wanted to ensure that there was a minimal chance of getting lost. As he thought over some preparations to be made, however, the main group began to enter the Middle Entrance. He would watch as the entrance suddenly erupted into motion, closing behind his peers and trapping them within the maze.

For those still standing at the entrance, they would still have a chance to enter the Northern or Southern entrance but the middle path was no longer available after it seemed to close itself.

How to Navigate the Maze

1. Each round you can choose an available direction to travel or to take a different action.
2. Each moderation will list the available directions for each student.
3. You can choose to stay as a group or wander off on your own. But if you are alone...beware of the orange.
4. Depending on the paths chosen, you may encounter challenges or changes within the maze.
5. Stats will be used in this tread and thus you will need to ensure they are in your trunk.
6. There will be a moderation post at least once a week. Quicker moderations will be done if all active participants have replied.
7. If a participant misses two weeks of moderation, it will be assumed they decided to take a nap and will be removed from the maze for their safety!
8. As always...clothing will be required in this thread!

───────────── Interacting Everyone present Calming Presence - Maze Team ─────────────

───────────── Luka Volkov Koldovstoretz The golden wolf Russian / English ─────────────

───────────── Outfit Reducio ─────────────

Everyone had plunged forward through the middle entrance, throwing caution to the wind, including Luka… though really he was just following the rest of them. It was better to stick together, after all. He was sure that if he tried to solve the maze alone, he’d end up hopelessly lost. Wait! Not everyone had followed the pretty French girl into the maze… the Chinese boy had waited outside. He turned around in time to watch the entrance close up behind them.

“Ah! It seems we will not be going back the way we came.” He announced to the others. “And that other boy won’t be able to come with us.”

He turned his gaze back to the maze in front of them, noting that it branched in two directions. They could either continue forward or turn to the left. Luka looked up, gazing at the sky and noting the position of the sun. He wasn’t sure how helpful that would be since they didn’t know where the exit was, but he made note of it anyway in case they needed a reminder of their position relevant to where they started. “I suggest we go forward again.” He offered his opinion. “The straighter the path we can follow, the less likely we will get turned around, yes?”

Action: Checking the sun’s position, suggesting the forward path.

Interacting with @Howard White & Everyone
Mentions: iNPC Luka Volkov (@Kazuo Shimada)

Most of the crowd agreed to take the middle path, despite the message from the Groundskeeper. Bloom was not necessarily a leader although she had the potential. For something like this, she was okay following the pack. With most going into the middle, she felt a sense of comfort and safety, although whatever was coming next was unknown.

As she and others entered the middle path, noises were happening behind them. Bloom looked behind her and saw what was once the entrance to the middle path begin to disappear. The roots of the plants began to assemble together, closing the once obvious opening. The worst part was that there were a couple stragglers who did not follow them. She wondered if they were going to see them later in the maze or not at all.

A boy with blonde hair described the obvious. There was definitely no turning back. All they had to do was to move forward. He motioned for them to move forward, though, Bloom had a different idea. "I was always taught to stick to one type of direction when it came to mazes. If you keep going right, for example, you're bound to get out versus choosing any path you come up to," she said quietly. Bloom looked at familiar faces such as Howard and Elena. She then looked down and rubbed her arm. "But then it just means that we might run into more than we bargain for, so...," Bloom mumbled at the end.

Bloom cleared her throat and walked up to Howard, one of the familiar faces of the group. They had what one would say a 'bonding moment' in the Room of Requirement. Bloom was feeling slightly scared about what was about to happen in the maze and she felt that maybe she could be protected by someone who was her age (which meant they knew more defensive and offensive spells), but also, from her experience, he was a good company. "Can I stick with you?" she whispered to him.

Bloom looked at the group, waiting to see what they would choose. No matter their choice, she would follow suit with the group, not wanting to get left behind the the couple of peers at the entrance.

ACTION: Will follow with the others

Interacting: -
Mentioning: -
Action: Entering the southern entrance with the bucket


English | Mandarin | Quotes

[Font="Book Antiqua"]
The bespectacled Chinese boy stopped short, his mouth hanging open, as the maze itself seemed to swallow up the group. It was not what he had expected, or even thought possible. It was. It was.. what? Words failed him. Fantastical? Incredible? Beyond belief?
"Awesome," he heard himself say in wonder. And it was! It was so far beyond belief, like some fair tale write large. It. Was. Brilliant.
"Right! There is no way I am sitting this out after that." Excitement bubbled inside him at the prospect of the challenge; and with no one around the boy cracked a smile. A slow grin that spread from ear to ear.
"Let's see now," he was speaking out loud to himself, as he was wont to do. His mind was whirring, and he thought through what little advice the seniors were able to provide him before they had left. "The maze is moving, so the idea of a thread is out. Probably so is any idea of keeping track of where we're moving."
A tilt of his head, as the Chinese boy considered. 5
North, or South? North? Or South?
Oh, sod it all to hell
And, for the first time since coming into the magical world, Hui Ming made a decision without pausing to consider the decision thoroughly. The Southern Gate it was, and he would take the sodding bucket with him.
[/font]

For the most part, everyoned seemed to be in solidarity with the majority of which entrance they should take, the middle one at that though there were a few raised concerns. Bloom brought up the old fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel, a story that Elena was all too familiar with and it's tragic outcome in some versions. "Well, let's hope it's not that bad." She would say hoping to reassure the majority of the group. Clearly, some were still lingering whether battling their own fears or struggling to come to a choice, it was now or never. Along with those who would accompany her, Elena surged forward carving her way deep into the middle entrance hoping she wasn't making some sort of terrible mistake. The confirmation that they were indeed in for a few struggles was further reinforced by the fact that the way they had come through was now sealed off as Elena witnessed first-hand watching somewhat taken aback as the vines and roots of the maze twisted and turned cutting off any escape.

Not a very comforting start but then again, she hadn't expected this to be easy as the brunette gripped her wand in the darkness that flooded them. They could really do with seeing where exactly they were going to be heading first of all. "Lumos!" The girl muttered brandishing her wand in an attempt to light the way forward as if not to be caught off guard by any traps or things that might be uisng the darkness as cover. They really only had one way now and that was deeper within the maze, it was as if the maze was alive and was encouraging them to explore deeper. Elena wasn't sure how she felt about that one swallowing the nerves and fear that threatened to explode out of her as they walked for a bit before coming to the first fork in the pathways. One led left while the other beckoned straight on into the unknown, a choice had to be made but the question was, which one was the correct one?

She nodded in silent agreement with the other's boys assertation that perhaps they should keep trudging on forward. Bloom had also brought up a good point earlier to stick to one direction to lessen the risk of getting lost and if straight was the direction they had chosen, that would be how they went. They could have also split up and send some people down each pathway but given the fact some of their group members were already lagging behind, she wasn't about to risk just leaving someone wandering about in this creepy maze. "Forward sounds safe to me too." Elena replied nodding tensely going with the majority. She didn't know why but in some weird way, it just did, perhaps her sixth sense was tingling telling her not to even consider the left path. Sure, they could chalk it up to that pausing to look if anyone else would come with her as she took a few cautious steps walking forward along the pathway silently praying they weren't all about to regret this choice.

Interactions: @Bloom Silverton |@Kazuo Shimada as Luka | @Elena Jangleton

Howard kept his head down as some of the group conversed, but ultimately they would mostly agree to take the middle path. Wasting no time he would let his long legs carry him forward and into the maze. He would pause after entering to allow the rest of them to gather. The maze was quick to react to them, even cutting off a couple of people that weren't quick enough to keep up. Howard would spin around quickly, his hands instinctively forming into claws at his side as the branches and vines unnaturally twisted and grew to close off the entrance behind them. He would be left breathing a little heavy through his nose, his long fingers taking a few moments before they would relax and uncurl. His nerves might be a little too on edge considering everything that had happened over the summer, but as the adrenaline coursed through his veins it would actually prove a much needed distraction.

As the entrance had closed it would cast the group into shadows, but the darkness would not affect Howard's sight (blind vision). However, it wouldn't take long for Elena to attempt to light her wand for the rest of them. The blonde boy that introduced himself as Luca would be the first to suggest a direction and Elena would agree. Bloom would have a slightly different idea as she proposed changing direction and sticking to it. "Is getting out the goal here?" Howard questioned her. "Or are we to find the center?" Perhaps he should have paid more attention now that he realized he had no clue of what they were supposed to be doing. "Let's go in further." He finished with a shrug.

As the group decided on a direction, Bloom would make her way closer to him. With a whisper she would ask if they could partner for the remainder of the event in which he would nod his head yes, happy for a chance to spend some more time with a new friend. "Yeah, definitely. You good with a wand?" Howard asked her. Any physical challenge they may counter would be more of his expertise, but spell work was hardly his thing. With their combined effort perhaps they might just make it through this thing.

Action: Choosing the forward path.

Interacting| @Elena Jangleton | @Bloom Silverton | @Howard White | Luka (@Kazuo Shimada) Mentioning| -

Outfit Reducio

Action| Going forward

Interacting with: Everyone with her in the maze | Open to Interactions!

Serena seemed to have made it just in time as right after she walked through the middle entrance, the hedge maze closed it off. She felt relieved that she wasn’t left alone, but after looking around the group, it seemed as if the first-year boy hadn’t made it in in time and was stuck on the other side. Serena felt terrible that he was left alone to wander through the maze. However, there was clearly nothing she could do for him with the entrance sealed off, so she followed the rest of the group until they reached a fork in the road, one smaller path going left and the other continuing forward.

It seemed as if the others wanted to go forward. “I agree; going forward might prevent us from getting lost or meeting a dead-end,” Serena spoke up.

Serena also thought about how it was probably best to stick together and not split up. There was more strength in numbers, after all. Also, who knew what dangerous, frightening things the groundskeeper had placed inside this maze? So, she quickly joined the rest of the group going forward down the path, worried that if she didn’t, the maze would close again and leave her behind.

Action: Going forward

Middle Route

@Elana Jangleton, Angélique de Clairmont (iNPC @Santario Martin), Luka Volkov (iNPC @Kazuo Shimada), @Howard White, @Bloom Silverton, @Serena Bowen

Well at least it seemed the group was determined to stick together. Hopefully the combined skills would prove useful. Young Luka would be the one to suggest they continue forward. To be safe, Elena cast Lumos to light their way some. It also revealed some black paint on the wall of the maze reading ‘RUN’. What a strange message… Howard and the lovely Angél would share the sentiment and join the group with Serena quickly following suit. Such a band of friendship they were! Sticking together, it was so cute the Maze itself must have been jealous. A low rumbling began at the closed entrance, almost in anticipation. Waiting for the group to make their move.

As Luka took their first step forward down the path, the maze started to pursue. Just as it had with the entrance, the walls behind the group began to close. Slowly at first. Viles and roots pulled the massive walls together, blocking and route back. But the speed began to pick up. Faster and faster the maze would start closing. Almost violently as the walls ripped into each other behind the moving group, gaining on them and threatening to consume any stragglers if they did not keep moving. But as they continued to move down the dark corridor, it would wind its way into a fork. They had to decide fast as the walls behind them continued to pull closed. The paths looked similar. One to the right, the other two to the left but hesitation or discussion would be costly.


Available Directions: Turn Left or Turn Right

Southern Route

@Hui Ming

With bucket in hand, Hui was ready to face any challenges on his lonesome. Sure the others might have been devoured by the maze but that wasn't enough to scare him off. Into the Southern entrance he went!

The path quickly arched to the left, taking the students on a short walk through the dense hedges. With the fog and tight turns, it was challenging to see more than a few paces in front of yourself. But eventually, the path opened into a small fork and the student would be forced to make a decision.

A new path branched off to the left, shrouded by fog but looking no different otherwise. Or the student could continue forward. However, through the fog on the path they were currently on, the student would be able to hear the soft twang of music. The faint sound of a solemn violin placing somewhere down the path in front of them. Perhaps a dance in the maze appealed to them or perhaps a strange violin in the middle of a fog-filled maze was too ominous. The choice rested with them...

Available Directions: Turn Left, Continue Forward or Turn Back

How to Navigate the Maze

1. Each round you can choose an available direction to travel or to take a different action.
2. Each moderation will list the available directions for each student.
3. You can choose to stay as a group or wander off on your own. But if you are alone...beware of the orange.
4. Depending on the paths chosen, you may encounter challenges or changes within the maze.
5. Stats will be used in this tread and thus you will need to ensure they are in your trunk.
6. There will be a moderation post at least once a week. Quicker moderations will be done if all active participants have replied.
7. If a participant misses two weeks of moderation, it will be assumed they decided to take a nap and will be removed from the maze for their safety!
8. As always...clothing will be required in this thread!