Labyrinth

Labyrinths are vast underground complexes where Adventurers can fight demons in safer, more controlled environments. They function as sophisticated Miasma management systems, exploiting a critical weakness of the demonic lifecycle: demons absorb significant amounts of Miasma during growth and when using their demonic powers. By creating artificial spawning grounds and culling demons as they appear, labyrinths become an irreplaceable tool in humanity's war against demons.

How Labyrinths Work

The Labyrinth's ingenious design features hundreds of Demon Anchors arranged in carefully constructed patterns to pull Miasma from a wide area into specialized containment zones. This creates a sustainable cycle where demons emerge, absorbing large quantities of Miasma during their early maturation process. Before they reach full maturity, Adventurers are deployed to eliminate them. It is often the job of Adventurers to make regular patrols in the Labyrinths, clearing out and culling any demonic activity.

Labyrinths gradually reduce the presence of Miasma with time, but they require significant Adventuring assistance. Miasma and demonic activity are attracted from a wide area toward the city that hosts it. It gets much more dangerous at the edges of a Labyrinth, further from its center. There is less Adventuring activity, fewer defenses prepared, and more demonic warrens nearby that create much more sporadic and imbalanced conflicts.

Astralei Dungeons use a related principle to attract demons, but instead focus on creating bounded challenges for their trial participants.

Labyrinth Design & Layout

Labyrinths take a long time to construct, and they are rarely ever "finished" until the surrounding Shadowlands have been cleared. Some have been under continued construction for centuries, expanding their network of tunnel routes in order to strengthen their influence and access more demonic threats. Some routes can span tens of kilometers between multiple levels, connecting to hundreds of individual demonic warrens. Areas may be forgotten or abandoned for long periods of time, requiring new patrols to go out and scout for activity.

There are usually a small handful of primary Magtrain routes in Labyrinths that stop at designated stations. These tunnels are safe, warded, and heavily fortified. Adventurers can then pass through fortified doors into other tunnels with threat ratings that they are authorized for. Threat ratings depend on how secured the location is, ranging from low threat for controlled environments to high threat for deeper routes that lead into or through demonic territory.

Safe-zone stations are usually staffed by a clerk and stocked with supplies, food, and important equipment. The clerk present can help answer questions about nearby routes, provide access to supplies, and direct Adventurers toward authorized passages.

Labyrinth Operations

Each Labyrinth is managed by a Labyrinth Office of the Adventurer's Guild, led by a Labyrinth Overseer. The office assigns threat ratings, authorizes adventurers for each route, staffs and stocks safe-zone stations, and coordinates culling schedules so that demons are eliminated before they mature. Construction and maintenance are contracted to Dwarven corporations, most often Bedrock Enterprises, while specialist crews tend the Demon Anchors.

Labyrinth Mapping

Labyrinth routes are clearly mapped out, with physical maps available in safe zones. There is also directional signage toward the exits along most routes, especially within controlled environments. However, when Labyrinth routes reach their end into a demonic warren, especially in a contested zone, mapping can be outdated and less reliable. Mindscape maps may be available for a price, but the time investment to produce them tends to limit their use to higher-ranked Adventurers.