#salaman

The master pyromancer raised his hand, and with it, a spectral image of scenes from the labyrinth. 

He watched a ninja plunge a sword through the chest of the scientist and then the zealot. He watched a god from the deep call down lighting to burn the purple assassin, before drowning the fighter and the illusionist. He watched a pair of misguided heroes strike down the tiefling bard. He watched the hitman tear out the supersoldier’s heart and crush the slayer’s head, before ending himself and the singer with nuclear fire. He watched the master smith battle the apprentices, offering lessons as he killed the archer. He watched the pirate and the hippy triumph over the acolyte of blood, before the pirate fell against the blighted spearman. He watched the valiant ranger brought down by a giant of the undead hordes.

A highlight reel of death. Gory, horribly, and entertaining. 

“Fun stuff, am I right folks!?” Salaman cheered, and the crowd joined him, thunderously. It was why they were here. “So far we have Ghost sitting pretty with the highest killcount of three, not counting himself because that’s bullshit. And, unexpectedly enough, Amser pulls in a win for being the closest to the exit! Both of them will get something special in the next round for their hard work and, or, dumb luck.”

He paced the stage. “And what is it exactly that happens in the next round, you ask? The walls come down. Not so much a labyrinth anymore, I guess? But trust me, it’s still plenty easy to get lost, and there are still a whoooole lot of obstacles and enemies in the way.”

“Action! Intrigue! Death! The contestants are all set loose into the Labyrinth World, tossed into a pit and mixed up with every horror, deathtrap, and ambush. Here’s the important stuff:”

“The walls and mazes are gone. Everyone is locked in the pit, a massive map containing countless obstacles. At the center, the beam of light marks the exit. Everyone’s goal? To reach it at any cost. Groups can work, and will be necessary at some points. But at the end of the day, remember: You’re competing, and the slow will suffer.”

“And to make things even harder, every immortal will be given a secret mission that they must complete before they are allowed to leave. I promise it’ll be nothing too impossible, but it could mean turning on friends, or putting your own needs ahead of others’.”

“Optional objectives will pop up from time to time that may force groups against each other. I say optional, but remember, if you don’t get it, someone else will, and if it helps them, it hurts you.”

“And lastly, everyone’s favorite thing, enemies. They’re going to be worse, they’re going to be more frequent, and they’re going to be hunting you the whooole time. Move fast! And remember, some fights you can’t win, so people may need to know when to cut and run. But keep in mind, there are boss battles now as well. You may need to combine forces to stand a chance.”