The Red Queen's Labyrinth Group 6

Ellie entered the pathway by using the key she had received into some of the many doors that had filled the small hall. They, whoever they were, had transformed the rest of the small hall, that wasn't covered in doors, into something that looked straight out of a story book. It had checkered floor walls that where surrounded by a hedge maze. Ellie turned around, seeing no way she or the group that was with her cold move to a different part. Suddenly it began to shake, the hedges splitting open. She looked at her other teammate, some she knew and some she had no clue who they were. But whatever the case, they were all in here for the same goal: to get out.

They might as well start with introductions though, "Uhh, my name is Ellie Randensmith. I'm not sure if I know all of you so... yeah?"

Once the hedges had stopped moving, they revealed three doors. The first one looked nice and completely perfect. There was no way it was this door. Ellie had read too many books to know that the first door was never right and if it seemed so perfect and colorful and... happy. The second path Ellie completely ignored, even if it was right, the eyes freaked her out and Ellie liked preforming! The third door though, something about it felt perfect. It looked ready for royalty. Ruby roses, emerald hedges and the sound of a fountain. The riddle by the side of it made no sense for helping them choose the path, but the third path sounded perfect.

"Does the third path sound good to you guys?" Ellie said, looking at the rest of her ground, while already taking a step towards it anyway.

|@Ellie Randensmith@Aluna Vern@ Brookline Quinn @Bree Grey | Word Count: 442

Instead of going to the Wonderland Waltz, Charlotte decided she would try the Labyrinth. It seemed fun, like a puzzle. Charlotte walked into the small hall, her key in her right hand. As she stepped in, she eyes widened with astonishment as she looked inside. The hall seemed to have been transformed into a maze. In front of her were many, many different doors, which she assumed could only be opened with her key. Wow. . . It was so incredible that Charlotte could easily have spent a couple minutes just staring, but she walked on, eager to start.

Countless doors were before her eyes, all different shapes, sizes and colors. Where do I start? She looked at her key and ran up to the door closest to her. She pushed her key into the hole, but it didn't budge. How am I supposed to figure out which one's correct? There were so many doors, and she couldn't try them all. Charlotte walked back, and then realized something had happened. The green hedges had parted, and 3 long paths stretched out in front of it. Obviously she had missed something. She hurried to her group, who had already discovered the paths. She wasn't surprised when she didn't recognize most of them. "Hi, I'm Charlotte," she said.

She walked through the emerald hedges, looking at the perfect roses on them. When she reached the end, she looked at the first path. The first path had a lot of colorful fungi on the floor and the bright colors seemed unreal. It was perfect and colorful, and Charlotte was tempted to just jump into this perfect path, but she held herself and looked to the next.

The next path was dark and many moving beady eyes stared back at her, which was quite a contrast to the first path. A sound of laughter seemed to be coming from this room. She didn't really want to go in. Charlotte shuddered, but part of her wondered if this was the right one. Wasn't there a saying about things being hard before it got easy? She was torn between these two paths. Wait, there's a third one right?

Charlotte hurried to the third and last path. Peering inside, she saw a gold arch and rows of roses that matched the ones outside. The sound of a fountain could be heard, and Charlotte could practically feel the sunlight. It seemed perfect too, but something about this one was different from it than the first. She was almost certain this was the one. As she went back to her group, she said "I think the third path too, that one seems good."

The all-female group of challengers entered the labyrinth one by one, all seemingly able to communicate and introduce themselves quickly. Ellie Randensmith took the lead as she inspected the paths and suggested the third path to the other members. Aluna Vern and Charlotte Evergreen, after some pondering on their own over the riddle and the three paths, ended up agreeing to embark on the luxurious THIRD PATH!

Unfortunately, it seemed like the witches had overlooked the most important section of the riddle! They would only get partway down the third path before a shrill female voice thundered from above them. “Oh, silly little witches. So naive and impudent to come strolling into my royal garden! Now, get out of this second. Card soldiers, cease them! OFF with their heads!” Players familiar with the tale of Alice and Wonderland would recognise that threat- It was the Queen of Hearts! Any sensible person would turn on their heels and run backwards as fast as their legs would let them.

Perhaps it would be wise to reconsider the bolded section of the riddle and spot the path that contains that unique feature. Something that warns players of what to remember in their decision-making...

OOC Instructions

Reducio

Rules
Uh oh, that was the wrong path, challengers! Please try again and read the bolded part of the riddle carefully. Hint: There is only one path with “knowing locals” who will ensure your safety.

1. Similar to before, moderation will occur once a week, if at least HALF of the members in the group have posted an action.
   • If one or no members post an action that round, moderation will happen only the next week to give more time for members to post. This is for the sake of game progress.
   • If there are any special circumstances (eg, members are ill), please owl us. We will consider making exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
2. Each participant is allowed one moderated action per round. In this case, this would be another single path of your group's choice. Please include your abilities and stats in your post.
   • PLEASE STATE YOUR MODERATED ACTION IN YOUR POST! (as an OOC note).
3. Please follow all usual HIO rules.
   • This includes 200 IC word requirements.

Group 6

1. @Charlotte Evergreen
2. @Bree Grey
3. @Aluna Vern
4. @Brookline Quinn
5. @Ellie Randensmith

NEXT DEADLINE: 1 week from time of posting

─────────────── xxx THE RED QUEEN’S LABYRINTH xxx ────────────────

XXXXX𝕭rookline shoved herself off her filthy sheets with an exhausting sigh. It was early in the morning, and Brookline, unfortunately, and surprisingly, had engagements. Apparently not serious, though. More like an escape room or something like that. For the Spring Ball.

Most likely, Brookline was going to skip it, until Minnie and Marie signed themselves and herself up for the Red Queen’s labyrinth. No doubt the Ravenclaw twins were attempting to help bring Brookline out of this dark, moggy state of her life.

They weren’t trying quite hard, Brookline thought, an eye roll signified that the Welsh got was more than peeved about the circumstances. Two days before, Marie had gotten ill, and found herself unable to participate for such an event. The younger girl was upset, for Marie had wanted to attend the Wonderland Waltz with her siblings. Minnie could have gone with Brookline, yet, a friend had invited her to join their group, and now, the Welsh Ravenclaw was alone in this social event. Curse her sleepy appearance, curse her pale face, curse her stuttering. Curse everything that would had helped Marie and Minnie partake pity upon her. Unfortunately, most of the time, the young girls had to take care of the older sister. Brookline added, Just wonderful.

Kneeling in front of her trunk, the Welsh girl rummaged around for those hair clips. Brandys Bright Barrettes. They turned her dark, matted, sweaty hair into luxurious, lovely curls. Now all was left to was to shimmy into her little frock and apply a light face of cosmetics. Brookline turned to the dress awaiting on her bed. It was a light eggshell blue, paired with a long, skinny skirt and puffy shelves, and it reminded her of Alice’s apron-like dress in Alice in Wonderland.

Her sister, Marie, had wanted Brookline to wear that outfit. The young girl bestowed tons of researching and reading the book after the Spring Ball Committee came out with the lovely theme. Before Marie had fallen ill, the three girls were going to match quite similarly. Now Brookline was stuck with such a blue dress and tiny shoes. Of course she had to go alone. She tightly clasped her hands together, her heels clicking together with a pleading wish in her head like Dorothy in Oz. Unfortunately, when that didn’t work, the young girl muttered quietly, “I really wish I could just stay here. I don’t wanna go.”

Alas, no overruling god or superior being heed her dire prayer, and Brookline was left in chilling, terrifying dark. As always. Perhaps she could get away with limited conversations and just get it over with. Then she could skip the ball and do whatever she wanted for twelve hours.

The young Quinn sighed, and she exhaled sharply. She could just get this over with. Easily, too. She hoped. Perhaps, kinda, maybe she could? Yes, she could. Brookline just needed to believe in herself. Which was much harder than you could believe. She could feel it in her chest, sparkling angrily and swirling like a fierce whirlpool. A swift-killing tornado was spotted in her overwhelmed head, spinning just as quick as the undertow. The Welsh girl felt like she was underwater, and this dark, sucking, spinning vortex, who did not even know her, desired to devour her. She felt as light as a peregrine’s feather, yet, as heavy as a giant rock that would plummet straight to the sandy ocean floor. How was she supposed to cope if this was the way she felt like this all the time? Unbalanced, and fruitlessly dependent, clearly. Perhaps she might have to send a letter to Lizy, soon. A whole new circumstance might have to start, and become her new life form. Maybe pulled from school, and being taught at home. Anything had to better than here.

Brookline wrestled her way into her tight skirt, carefully, lest she rip it. No matter how much she despised the dress and the event, Brookline didn’t feel like spoiling this dress that Marie had taken much thought in to match. Sliding into azure Mary Janes, her fingers stretched behind her to reach for her gown’s fragile zipper. Brookline grabbed her wand and locksmith’s knife, the chestnut wand and knife both safely hidden the frock’s secret pockets. This is one thing that Brookline even liked about this dress. At least this gown wasn’t too formal, or the Welsh Ravenclaw would find herself in someone entirely different.

Finally, Brookline got out the door. She had spent five minutes sulking, sitting on the corner of her bed, psyching herself to get up and leave her dorm room. Within the duration of four and a half minutes, when she was just out of the Ravenclaw Common room, the young Quinn realized that the key she was supposed to have was not on her hands. She emptied all her pockets and checked her hair. Negative. Rushing back to the dorm, Brookline scored her room for the key, for if the child did not posses the weirdly-shaped pass-key, she would not be able to participate in the Red Queen’s Labyrinth and let down four other girls.

Soon, she did eventually found it, buried within the vast, abundant pile of untouched correspondence. Brookline high tailed it out of there, otherwise she would be late, and she was probably already devastatingly tardy. Hopefully she wasn’t that late where her teammates were angry with her. Fortunately, Brookline was sure that she didn’y know a single girl, as her sisters just signed them up, with the intent they didn’t know who they would be paired up with. Now it was just Brookline with four other girls. She wanted to cry.

Then, Brookline made it to the Small Hall, the whole thing seemed entirety different, uncanny like a rabbit’s burrow. There were doors and there all different shapes and sizes and colours. One was patterned oddly, red and blue clashing together. The next to it was shaped like a flat triangle, and it was a thin slate of red, as if someone forgot to give the door another layer. Or at least that’s the astonished child thought.

Before doing anything, she would turn around and spin, taking this all in the small space in her brain..A thought popped in her mind, and she wondered. Oh my lord, this is the White Rabbit’s burrow in Alice in Wonderland, exciting...

The Welsh Quinn tried some peculiar doors with her key. None of them worked... So she tried another after another, til which she was annoyed with the whole thing entirely. She settled on a round door, and gently fitted her key through the keyhole, opening the door to a gorgeous and elegant garden. Hedges spread out with the maze, and Brookline could not help herself when her open mouth went to the floor—

“OFF with their heads!”

Brookline jumped, her bottom teeth clashing painfully with her top set, causing her ears to ring unpleasantly. Hissing under her breath, she swore and headed for the group of young girls in the middle of the garden. There was a dark brown-haired girl, along with a small girl with black hair who Brookline was pretty sure she’d seen before, and behind them was a light-haired girl, who had sapphire-blue tips. They seemed nice, Brookline thought, and trotted up to the girls.

“Hey, sorry I’m late. Um, I’m Brookline. Brookline Quinn.” Her ocean blue eyes trailed across the second years’ faces and realized the girl with dark hair and ivory skin was, indeed, familiar. The brunette had met the young Evergreen earlier in third year when Brookline had met Charlotte's troublesome cat. “I think I know you. Charlotte, or something like that, right?”

The girl with the brown hair announced that they should go on the second path. Brookline visually shrugged her shoulders at Smart Girl, and turned to Blue Streaks Girl and Evergreen, who had a say in this.

date ; april 19th, 2026 language ; english | welsh wordcount ; 1,318 words small hall ; location entering the labyrinth & letting everyone decide ; actions here ; outfit [ coded by elena clark ] stats ; STA 8 × EVA 9 × STR 8 × WIS 11 × ARC 4 × ACC 8 abilities ; LOVELY CREATURE × HEALING SAGE × STEADY FLYER

x

occ note: brookline’s thoughts and actions are not my own and are used for her purpose of her character. also she’s horrible at making nicknames lol. mentioning these lovely people, Charlotte Evergreen, @Bree Grey, @Aluna Vern, and @Ellie Randensmith.

|@Ellie Randensmith@Aluna Vern@ Brookline Quinn @Bree Grey | Word Count: 336

At first, everything seemed perfectly fine. The sun shining on her head, the sound of the water from the fountain. . . When it seemed like they would finally get to the end of the path. Until a thunderous voice screamed, “Oh, silly little witches. So naive and impudent to come strolling into my royal garden! Now, get out of this second. Card soldiers, cease them! OFF with their heads!"Charlotte gasped as she realized what this meant. They had chosen the wrong path. How could they not have known? But before she could dwell on it, the other two girls ran off, and Charlotte did not want to be alone in the garden.

She ran the opposite way, following the other two girls, annoyed and frustrated at their wrong decision. Charlotte wasn't very good at running, and she almost tripped on her feet as she exited the path. Finally, they exited the path, where Charlotte felt a sigh of relief. "Oops," Charlotte said to the other two girls as they gasped for air, "I guess we chose the wrong path."

They were also greeted by another girl, a third year, whose face Charlotte couldn't forget because Charlotte's cat, Tinsel had scratched the girl's brown tabby earlier in the year. She bit her lip slightly as she remembered Tinsel's sharp claws swiping the other cat. What was her name again? Oh yes, Brookline. Brook introduced herself to them before turning to Charlotte and said, "“I think I know you. Charlotte, or something like that, right?”

Charlotte nodded and smiled, before turning to the new riddle they had been given. It said something about "knowing locals," and Charlotte wondered what that could mean. There wasn't anybody on the path. Ohh. . .She assumed the "knowing locals" meant the gnomes in the second path. But before Charlotte could announce her findings, the other girl, (who Charlotte did not know the name of, just that she was in Slytherin,) suggested the second path. "Yeah I think the second path too."

As she drags herself out of bed, she sighs heavily. She could always just not go. But if Hazel was actually grouped with Bree, her cousin would be upset about it. After all she is just trying to help and spend time with her. Yawning, she throws on a pair of black comfy shorts and an oversized shirt and sweater. Throwing her hair up into a thick messy ponytail, she slips on running shoes, grabs water and then heads out to the great lake. Once she makes it there, she goes through her normal round of stretching before settling into a light jog. Speeding up bit by bit but still taking it slowly, she allows the silence of the world to take over. Once the silence overtakes her, almost immediately a waterfall of thoughts comes pouring in. Steadying her breathing, she silently acknowledges them and moves on. Almost thirty minutes later, she slows down to cool down. Once finished with her run, she walks slowly back inside her dorm as everyone else wakes up.

As she makes her way up to the Gryffindor tower, everyone she passes is buzzing with excitement. The Spring Ball is today. Also unfortunately so is the Labyrinth. Something Bree does not want to go to. But Hazel did say that they'll do it together and Bree was determined not to disappoint her. Going up to her dorm, she cleans herself off and finally gets dressed. Slipping on a long black dress, it's skin tight up on her upper body but flares out as it goes lower. It has silvery star designs decorating it, as if someone took the night sky and made it into a dress. Her arms are bare, other than the dark midnight black gloves that go up to her elbow. Her hair had a halo-like braid entwined into it. Slipping into her shoes, they were sensitive silver shoes, as if it was made from the teardrops of the moon. Once she was finished dressing, she made her way down to the small hall.

She was going to kill Hazel. Honestly, she was going to do it.... after she got out of this place. There's only that one person out there that can manage to convince you to do something you don't want to do. But luckily she isn't the only one who Hazel does it too. That guy Hazel insists that he is actually really nice once you get to know him, and who Bree personally thinks is an arse, gets the same treatment. If she recall correctly, her cousin told her that she practically begged Axel to go to the ball. And other places. Bree would say that she's glad about it but secretly she pities him. Not everyone has to do what they don't want too.

She smiles apologetically at the rest of her group. Barley recognizing most of them, her eyes lights up as Ellie says her name. Slowly she's able to recall the rest other than the older girl. "I'm Bree." She offers her name with a shy-ish smile. Standing to the side, she nods in agreement when they chose the third path. The third path seemed to...draw her in. As they walk down the path suddenly a loud feminine voice rings out, demanding soldiers to go after them. She hurries back with the rest of them.

She nods along with Alunas plan. "I agree! But why do the gnomes have to look.... so creepy?" Shivering slightly she looks down the path, "So the second path it is."

Word Count: 590

Interactions/Mentions: @Brookline Quinn, @Aluna Vern, @Charlotte Evergreen, and @Ellie Randensmith

Action: Choosing Second Path

Following a harrowing escape from the Queen of Hearts' disembodied voice, the girls of Group 6 were back to the start of the first obstacle again. After catching their breath, Aluna Vern and Charlotte Evergreen discuss strategy once more as their other teammates, Brookline Quinn and Bree Grey, joined them after their own battles with their outfits and their conscience this morning.
With Aluna cracking the riddle and the rest of the group's support, Group 6 decided to embark on the SECOND PATH despite the gnomes' indeed creepy giggling.

For players who chose to brave the SECOND PATH, they would find themselves rewarded! Players who walked down the path would be excitedly crowded and shuffled along the path by the dancing garden gnomes present. Despite their excited gibberish, the gnomes would soon prove to be the “knowing locals” that the riddle hinted at, guiding through each turn and loop without difficulty. With a noticeable lack of trouble or hurdles, the group would find themselves in overly friendly, but safe hands. The peaceful passage through the breezy, grassy path with the cheery gnomes would eventually lead them to the second obstacle in the labyrinth…

Obstacle 2

At the end of the correct path lay the next obstacle for our brave challengers. Before them stood a door buried deep in neat, jade hedges. The air smelled of fragrant roses, and there was nothing around other than roses, hedges, and that mysterious door. If players were to try and twist its shimmering rose-gold handle, they would find it locked. A keyhole could be found beneath the handle. It was unusually small, smaller than most keyholes. To the right of the door, between a trimmed hedge and a stone wall, players would find a table. Resting on the table was a silver key, the metal glinting in the sunlight.

Above the door, a wooden, heart-shaped sign swings with the following riddle:

A key that’s right but far too tall,
Will never fit a door so small!
Shrink the problem, not the door...
Then the key may be used once more.

Oh dear, such a predicament. Perhaps this will be a job for those wands!

^{✥─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────✥}

OOC Instructions

Reducio

Rules

Congratulations, your group has made it to the second obstacle! Please note the following rules for this obstacle:

1. Similar to before, moderation will occur once a week, if at least HALF of the members in the group posted an action.
   • If one or no members post an action that round, moderation will happen only the next week to give more time for members to post. This is for the sake of game progression.
   • If there are any special circumstances (eg, members are ill), please owl us. We will consider making exceptions on a case-by-case basis.
2. Each participant is allowed one moderated action per round. Please include your abilities and stats in your post.
3. Please specify your character's action(s) in your post (as an OOC note).
   • This includes moderated actions, which are actions that require dice rolls to determine their outcome, like casting a spell.
4. Please follow all usual HIO rules.
   • This includes 200 IC word requirements.
5. Wave those wands and good luck, challengers. Have fun!

ROUND 3 SPECIAL INSTRUCTION:
As hinted above, a spell should successfully be cast in order to pass on to the next stage. Procedure will go as follows:

1. The moderator will moderate the actions by order of whoever posted first.
   Moderation notes will be left for each player.
2. If the obstacle is successfully passed before the moderation of some of the later posters’ actions, we will disregard the other actions and automatically let the group pass.

Group 6

1. @Charlotte Evergreen
2. @Bree Grey
3. @Aluna Vern
4. @Brookline Quinn
5. @Ellie Randensmith

DEADLINE: 1 week from time of posting