"167 hours, 35 minutes, and 42 seconds until level collapse." Came the familiar voice as you head down the stairwell.

All of you head down that day. Leading into the underground tunnels. These tunnels should not be here. In some places, this should be a subway or a sewer system. Or just dirt. Instead, what looks like a maze crafted by stone and ancient peoples seems to have popped into being.

If any of you change your minds, you find you cannot leave. The portal is one way, and you don't even see the surface anymore. The lights from the tunnels are familiar however. They seem to be streetlights, home lightings, and other modern light fixtures somehow repurposed to give the shadowy dim illumination to the tunnels. As if someone stole all the light blubs and other such electric devices and installed them inside here.

Eventually, if you wait long enough, others come down as well. Random people seeking to get out of the cold, because suddenly there is no where for them to go up top. Some of them want to get their families back, and others are just keen on seeing aliens for the first time. You might want to group up with them for safety, or maybe you just think you are better off alone.

Whichever you decide, you find you are not alone here in the Labyrinth. There are horrible traps, such as crushing walls, spiked pits, and blades from the ceiling. Even those among you who go on by yourselves hear the screams of people falling prey to such things. They echo from what sounds like thousands of miles away, carried by the tunnels right to your ears.

Eventually the traps stop. Some of you are skillful or lucky enough to bypass them. However, this maze is not done with you. There are living things within the halls that come from the shadows. Spiders, the size of dogs crawl from the ceilings and floors. Some shooting webs and dragging their prey away, others pouncing on helpless people. Those of you who came down armed find that bullets work just fine on these creatures. However, its what leading them to you is the problem.

https://2e.aonprd.com/Images/M.../Gremlin_Mitflit.png

Small blue humanoids, about 3 feet tall each. Carrying daggers and crossbows, and seemingly able to command the spiders to attack. They send in the horrible arachnids first, and then proceed to try and ether capture or kill anyone who remains. Bullets again work on these things, as do normal weapons and blows, but there are many of them. Eventually you have to run, and if you did not run right away you take serious injury and maybe spider poison as you stand your ground.

Despite that, you do manage to live. Hurt, exhausted, and running blind, you mange to find a glowing neon sign. It seems assembled from standard neon available in any city, however it spells out a word in a language none of you knew before today. Somehow, all of you understand it now.

GUILDHALL THIS WAY It even has a helpful arrow.

Sensing that the creatures are now hot on your heels, your run. Or stagger, depending how much fighting you did to get here. You do find an elaborate double door. Carved with odd runes and bat winged horned people. Above the massive structure reads in the odd language the same word as before, plus one other.

GUILDHALL SAFEZONE.

Even lightly touching the door opens it, and you quickly walk through. Even if you came down with others, you are alone now. However, upon entering the Guildhall it slams loudly behind you. However, in time it will open again, revealing others you have never met before who will join you.

The place is fairly unremarkable. There is a counter with a variety of medieval costumes, armor, and weapons. The lights are glowing orbs that float freely. Several comfortable chairs seem to be placed at random spots, and a picture of what looks like a family of part human part badgers wearing strange clothes wave from its hanging spot over a active fireplace.

Its what's floating in the center of the room that makes you stop with alarm.

https://66.media.tumblr.com/f2...naBKU1rkapbx_540.jpg

Before you can scream, draw a now empty weapon, or even run, you hear a voice in your mind.

'Hello. I am Guildmaster Trevik. I am sure you have several thousand questions. I am only allowed to answer a few of them. Feel free to ask anything however. Once you calm down that is.'

Worse, when you stare at the eight foot tall floating thing, a pop up window appears in your vision, and the familiar game show host voice narrates the description.

"MIND HORROR!

These horrible predators collect the brains of their victims by drilling into their skulls with their long tendrils. The more brains they feed into their beak, the more intelligent and telepathic and telekinetic they get! Don't worry, they don't eat morons, so all of you will be fine! Wait...no you won't."

This message was last edited by the player at 23:35, Sun 16 Jan 2022.

For her, the world. For she, anything. Hershell thought to himself, as he ran his fingers across the backside of his flaying knife. A mantra, a chant, a reminder of why he was here. It did little to alleviate the screams of those around him. He joined them in a foray to the depths as many lingered in fear.

The skinny meat spoke of space and aliens. A lust for the unknown.

The pretty meat told lies of valor and fame. They wanted power.

The dirty meat spat words of anger and misery. They wished for money.

Hershel told the meat he walked for She. The meat failed to understand but don't really care anyway. It doesn't matter. Skinny meat dies first, reveals to us the floor itself was not safe here and was impaled. Skewered like a boar in a pitfall. The pretty meat screams, but the dirty meat understands. Hershel and the dirty meat have to take point now, as the pretty meat cries itself into ugly meat.

Dirty meat has great eyes, knows how to find what isn't first apparent. Hershel tells him such, but is only met with silence. The ugly meat has stopped crying, and the three of them have made it through the screaming tunnels and their hidden traps. Dirty meat takes a moment to embrace the ugly meat, and they share whispered words. Hershel has his own set of words when his shotgun catches dinner.

The spiders began to come out. Many, many spiders. More spiders than Hershel has ammunition for. Dirty and ugly meat come to their senses and begin running with Hershel. The ugly meat points out the spiders are being controlled by blue men. The blue men are not resistant to bullets. Hershel, despite the pleas of the meat, takes a moment to carve a few bits off of the blue man he'd shot. "It's my kill, it belongs to me!" Hershel cried as he frantically cut into the dead man-thing's face. Hershel takes an eye and eats it. Delicious, he thinks to himself. Hershel also takes the blue man's tongue in the hopes he too could speak to and command the spiders.

In the scrap, the ugly meat is dragged away by a spider and it's master. The meat's mouth is covered in webs so it cannot scream. The dirty meat ran down a tunnel after having been separated from Hershel. Hershel ran into a different tunnel and lost his shotgun to the spiders. His arm was numb and bloodied, but he can't recall how it happened. He doesn't stop running to think about it as the sounds behind him grow louder. He asks She for a sign and sees the light. Hershel thanks she and rushes to her comfort...


Hershell hits the floor with a wet cough as the door slams shut behind him. Clutching his throbbing arm as he stands up, he scans the area with an incomprehensible mumble. He moves about the so-called 'saferoom'  to look for food of some description. He was starving. Looking over the costumes, Hershel takes a moment to rip one of them up to tie it around his weeping arm to staunch the flow. He looks at the fresh arrivals with disinterest as he intends to sit down for a moment. Seeing the floating creature gives Hershel pause as he puts his words together against it.

"You with the blue men? ...Where's my knife?!" The second question comes with significantly more aggression and agitation to his tone as Hershel pats himself down.

The Mind Horror floats over to Hershel, but does not get close enough to touch him. 'Those are Spider Mites, sometimes called Gremlins by your people.' The creature spokes in everyone's minds.

'They are a common threat on the 1st level of the Laybrith. Useally to weed out the beginning Wanderers. Right now the number of Wanderers have dropped from 40,837,925 to roughly 30,000,000 or so. As for your knife, I have no idea where it went, but once we reformat you, your loot boxes and fully HUDs and inventory systems will come online.'

The creature seems to know what the next question is before anyone asks. 'To be reformatted is to be changed by the Labyrinth into a form that will assist your survival. Once you do that, you will given abilites and equipment that will allow you to get to the lower levels.'

Connor descended through the portal, still somewhat in chock from seeing his friends just atomized in front of him as he stood by on the sidewalk. He lamented his own weakness, while also feeling guilty at the fact he was grateful that he survived while his friends died. not that he wanted them to die, mind you. He'd never want that and good friends were something to be cherished. He'd never forgive D'Monix for that, and for possibly killing his family and other friends back home.

But still, deep down his will to survive was strong and he was happy to be alive. Even as he endured an alien reality invasion and descended into a den of horrors. Literally. It was like a dungeon out of a fantasy novel, complete with giant spiders...freaking giant ass spiders that were trying to eat people. And blue gremlin gnome things...whatever they were. They didn't seem friendly or open to diplomacy, and unlike many of the people entering the dungeon he didn't try to face any of these threats. For it was clearly apparent to him that these were all dangers and he was in no position to negotiate with anything.

Not to mention...he didn't fully trust the people he was seeing either. While he valued friendship greatly, he himself believed that trust was earned and not given. And he didn't know if other humans would end up being as dangerous as the spiders or if they'd have the good sense to not fight among themselves and make a shitty situation even worse.

And so Conner was cautious, and stayed out of the way of other groups of humans while clinging to the walls and shadows and doing his best to avoid the attention of spiders and gremlin things. He was unarmed and soft, but he was intelligent. He used stones to throw and make distracting noises to get past spiders, or to set off traps from afar and watch how they worked. He made sure not to be a threat to other humans, so that they'd leave him alone. But he watched them face off against traps and spiders from a distance.  And he gained knowledge and insight from these observations while he hid and used evasive tactics.

And knowledge was power, after all.

He had a few close calls, though, and had to do some quick dashing and rolling on the ground and he was not an athlete by any means, although he was intelligent and nimble. But he has some scrapes and bruises for sure, as well as a gash in his left arm from a spider's claw-like leg-swipe as he ran past a group of people dealing with a spider. But once he saw the safe space guild house...he dashed inside and didn't look back!

----------

As he took in his surroundings, he was at first curious and mystified before suddenly letting out a soft gasp of "oh fuck me..." when he saw the mind horror Guild master. However, he was surprised when it spoke into his mind rather than tried to eat him or someting.

"Um...Mister Mind Horror, sir. Ma'am? Please don't eat me. I come in peace, and I assure you I taste like crap." he said aloud to it.

"If you really are answering questions...then please tell me what this place is? You seem more civilized than the monster spiders and blue garden gnomes from hell back there."

In reply to Conner Johnson (msg # 4):



'Ah yes, those are complicated questions to answer, but I am allowed to give you details on that series of subjects.' It answered in its group mind link. It floated away from Hershel and towards Conner.

'This...this place is what in human terms would be called a reality TV show created by the D/Monix corporation. Several different corporations have run the show over thousands of years, taking over entire worlds and using them for its production. Your world is the latest. For the last 90 earth solar cycles they have been preparing for the digitization of your civilization. Then they run the game show throughout many dimensions and solar systems, where betting and monetization occurs based on the outcomes of the games. Many what you would call royal families and empires are driven by the money generated by these games, and neutral computer is supposed to be in charge of its production.'

It pauses, and then one tendril points to the picture above the fireplace. The one of the family of humanoid badger people. 'My own world was destroyed by these games, and I was a Wanderer like you are now. However, I was reformatted into a new form, and tried to beat the Labyrinth. In order to reclaim my world's matter and energy and release the uploaded minds of my family and my people. However, I never made it past the 12th floor, and retired. Because I was considered an intellectual among my own race, the system AI thought it would be...funny...to reformat me as a mind horror.' The mental voice sounds almost angry. 'I am trapped in the Labyrinth, assisting other Wanderers and stuck as a mind horror until my contract is up and I am free to leave.'
This message was last edited by the player at 05:11, Mon 17 Jan 2022.

"167 hours, 35 minutes, and 42 seconds until level collapse." Came the familiar voice as David headed down the stairwell.

The young man had daydreamed a lot of scenarios where he was kidnapped or made to leave his family and his church but none of them as weird as this. While this did feel like an escape, what was it an escape to?

This tunnel was weird with it's combination of fantasy movie tunnel and modern lights and David was relieved when he heard voices ahead of him. Hurrying, he ran to catch up to whoever was talking but almost hid when he saw who it was; Chad and some of his goons. Maybe if he stayed quiet and unobtrusive they wouldn't choose to bother him since there were others including adults in the group as well.

When the traps started hurting and killing people though, the bravado and since of adventure left the group. One person fell into a pit full of spikes, arrows killed another and hurt many, including David. And a scythe swung down and almost split Chad in half. Emitting a high pitched squeak, he was able to jump out of the way.

A youth named Tim Hogg had the unfortunate habit of laughing when he was scared or nervous started laughing right when Chad emitted the squeal. As that was the last trap they encountered, the goon squad croweded around Tim and pushed him into a kind of corner. David felt equal parts relief for not being the subject of their attentions and shame for feeling that way and not sticking up for Tim. Cornering Tim where the tunnel turned next to an offshoot tunnel heading off into the dark, the squad was really starting to lay into Tim. David was trying to decide to go around the group to keep going or to try to get out of sight to wait them out. No thoughts entered the youths mind to try to help the other boy though.

Right when David had decided to try to move on a spider the size of a large dog jumped on the back of one of the goons and a strand of web shot out of the side tunnel, stuck to another one of the goons and yanked him into the tunnel. Everyone just stood in shock for a moment then pandemonium broke out. People scattered both up the passage and back the way they came as more spiders and some strange little blue people started attacking everyone.

This was the final straw for David and he just ran. He ran past people being killed and drug off by the spiders and the blue men. He ran past people who were hurt and needed help. He even ran past Chad, catching the bigger young man off balance and knocking him over. He ran until he finally saw the signs for the Guildhall and the supposed safe zone.

Busting through the door to the guild hall, David was halfway across the room and right in front of the weird floating brain with a beak. He just stood and stared at the weird thing for no telling how long when a hand grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. Chad was there with a furious look on his face and a raised fist.

I am going to kill you, you pansy a$$ sissy!

When Chad raises his fist and thrusts it forward he freezes in place. The words 'Bad sport' appear above his head in glowing letters. Then he proceeds to vanish.

'There is no violence allowed in a Safe Zone.' Trevik transmits. 'However, this place will not protect you from when the level collapses in just under one week. Then your matter will be collected and used for the Labyrinth. In that time, you must find the 1st Level's apex creature, defeat it, and gain access to the stairwell to the second level.'
This message was last edited by the player at 05:11, Mon 17 Jan 2022.

In reply to Guildmaster Trevik (msg # 5):

Connor considered a bit. What was being told to him took some time to sink in. He did frown in empathy, though, when the Badgerman-turned-Horror=Turned-Guildmaster pointed to the picture of its old family. It seemed that Earth was not the first to fall victim to D'Monix style reality invasion.

"So um...Guildmaster Trevik, was it? That certainly explains why you're being nice and that you cannot always judge a book by its cover." he replied.

He turned at the two men acting disruptive, and the one named Chad (whose name he didn't actually know) who vanished. He rolled his eyes dismissively at them - it was people like that which caused him to fend for himself on his trip here. Although he didn't think he could be a lone wolf forever though. He needed to find allies who were worthy of his trust, and fast. But for now, he needed to get his bearings.

"Good riddance. Anyway, Mister Trevik...can you tell me what exactly D'Monix is? Are they - and you for that matter - like aliens or something? And what is reformatting?"

In reply to Conner Johnson (msg # 8):

'I am permitted only limited response on your first question.' The brain creature transmitted.

'You may have notice the humanoid creatures carved on the door, the ones with horns and bat wings. They are the race called Shaitan, and are responsible for the many myths of your world of creatures of hell and torment. In truth, they are simply beings of commerce, and not much morally different than any other species. Their people are not inherently evil, but the cooperate power structure that controls most of the multiverse could be considered so. That being said, they are watching and listening most of the time...and have been known to be petty against Wanderers who insult them too much.' The creature almost shrugs with its tendrils. 'Never anything that can be proven of course. Even this place has rules of its own...'

'As for me, and the others...we are different forms of life. Evolving naturally on our worlds and dimensions, we have been brought together under multiverse corporate tech. One of your writers once said "Advanced enough technology is indistinguishable from magic." In the Labyrinth, there are many things that will happen that will seem like magic to you. For example, having your human form changed into another species and given abilities with the confines of the game show's rules in order to survive. You may remain human if you wish, but another race's skills and natural advantages might be the edge you need.'
This message was last edited by the player at 03:01, Mon 17 Jan 2022.

Tsukiko had always wanted to leave the Shrine but this was not what she had in mind. Everything she knew though appeared to be gone, so there was little choice but to proceed down the stairs.

She was not going to make it through something like this alone, that was sure, especially when all she had to her name was a Flute. "...what the??!" Came a quick squeal as a a pitfall opened beneath her causing her to jump out of the way quickly.

After that she would begin to keep a better look out for traps and other things. Hearing the cries of others getting, killed or other things, she also decided it would be best to find some others to team up with. That's when she happened upon them, a bit further down the tunnel. A police officer obvious from the United States and a teenager with a baseball bat, possibly from the same area.

Cautiously she would join with these two, figuring safety in numbers and all. The Officer had a gun and a nightstick, the latter of which was offered to her. It would come in handy soon enough as soon spiders and small humanoids would set upon them! The fight was short and bloody with a spiders tearing the teen to ribbons before they finally succumbed.

Her and the officer would move down the tunnel quickly after she said a small prayer over the teen. It wouldn't be long though before another trap beset them! Tsukiko suddenly felt a shove on her back as the officer yelled for her to look out, just as a wall trap smashed him into the accompanying wall! She laid there for a moment, stunned at what just happened before a creature dropped from the ceiling and stabbed her in the shoulder waking her from her revere! A grab and a throw, she would proceed to beat it with the nightstick.

Finally, she'd get up and wonder the last few hundred yards to the Guild Hall. Hearing what the beast said about himself, and his world as she walked in. Her flute and the nightstick in one hand as she held her wounded shoulder with the other.

"So thats what happened to our world then?" The young woman asked in a thick oriental accent, dressed in a plain brown kimono with a thinner white one underneath. On her feet were japanese style sandals, long white socks were on her feet. Some form of symbol was worn on a simple beaded neckless around her neck.

'Not...entirely.' The creature mentally projected to all, floating now Tsukio's way. 'While anyone inside was digitized for their matter, so was most of your technology, resources, structures and vehicles. Which means anyone not in the Labyrinth and not inside anywhere is now out side without most of the advantages you all had worked so hard to create.

D/Monix will honor the standard dimensional law. So the natives of any world the company claims are independent of the games, as long as they do not enter the Labyrinth. However, they also have no wish to aid any human in their own new struggle for survival. There are many interdimensional movements who wish to end the games and aid the survivors of the worlds tormented by these corporations. However, their funding is low, and the best they can do is find a Wanderer to speak about their issues during the lower levels of the Labyrinth or during the Confessional.'

It seems to stay quiet about what the 'Confessional' is, and will not answer direct questions about it.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:05, Mon 17 Jan 2022.

She seemed rather calm and reserved about what she was just told. Which was odd, considering the gravity of what she was just told. "I see. Can it be reversed? The entirety of it?"

The Shaitan. So they were the cause of all this. Not much he could do to them or against them right now, but he made mental note of that for later.

At first, it was like he was inside of a computer. But then the fact he literally physically entered the portal, along with all the traps and people dying and so on convinced him this was something else. Some sort of extension of the reality modification the D'Monix had done to attack Earth.

It also seemed that the only recourse - the only chance tiny as it was - that Connor had of turning the tables or at least surviving was to try to figure out the rules of his tormentors, and then play by those same rules and find a way to use them to his own advantage. And - if possible - to find loopholes that he as a human could exploit.

"Hmmm...well then Mister Trevik sir...could you please tell me how reformatting works? I'm interested in this, but would like to know how it works and how much my own intention can influence it and if it even matters." he said.

"And I doubt you're a friend of D'Monix after what they've done to you and your family. So I was wondering if you provide me a map of this level, or otherwise tell me anything else you know about it. There is a saying on Earth that the enemy of your enemy is your friend. So maybe we can help each other."

In reply to Tsukiko Kuki (msg # 12):

'It is said, those who win the Laybrith will have access to its converted matter. Part of that is the minds of living creatures uploaded to a digital platform storing thier memories.' The eyeless thing seems to move towards the young woman even closer, as if trying to meet her gaze.

'This has never happened in the history of the games. I tired, and gave up. Finding it impossible to do on my own.

Things may have changed with your world, because now the multiverse is beginning to see the cruelty and the threat the games pose.'

Conner spoke up then.



'I cannot violate the rules of the guild. My contract has...harsh consequences if I aid any Wanderer beyond what I allowed to do. That being said, I am your guildmaster now. On any level where you find a guildhall, you will find me. I will transport to any level my Wanderers are located, even beyond the level collapse. As you learn more, the more I will be allowed to aid you...directly.'

It pauses, as if that seems to mean more than what it was saying.

'Reformatting involves me enabling your HUD and inventory system. This allows your mind direct contact with the AI in a limited way. You will start getting the ability to analyze what is going on around you in the Labyrinth, via pop up menus. You have seen the start of this already by the AI description of the Mind Horror I current am. As...annoying and cruel as the AI is, it is also bound by rules. Those rules can be manipulated to change your current state of matter, but only in the guildhalls by a guildmaster. I will show you a series of pop up menus which will describe choices that best fit your personality, skills, and background in order to change into a new, healthy body. This body will be capable of combat, skills you don't currently posses, and even powers beyond human ability. This will all be dependent on your choices of the options I show you. But don't believe you cannot be killed. This change is just to make you more entertaining gladiators to the trillions watching the interdimensional net feeds.

It then 'looks' at all of you, even without eyes. 'Its not enough to be capable warriors. You must be entertaining. You will gain food, provisions, weapons, armor and tools from what the game refers to as 'Loot Boxes'. Some of these are provided by the AI, others by Non combat creatures you will encounter in the games, others by creatures you must kill. The best and most powerful loot boxes are from viewers. Also, corporate sponsors who want to to succeed.'   
This message was last edited by the player at 05:43, Mon 17 Jan 2022.