[center][color=darkseagreen][i]inspired by the art of [url=https://www.artstation.com/skeeziks]Chris Campbell[/url], the music of [url=https://www.youtube.com/user/MassiveAttackVEVO]Massive Attack[/url], the novels of [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice%27s_Adventures_in_Wonderland]Lewis Carroll[/url], and other things.[/i][/color][/center]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/AX14qmV.png[/img][/center]

[indent][indent][i][color=goldenrod]“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”[/color][/i][/indent][/indent]
[right][h3][i]a tale to tell[/i][/h3][/right][hr]Here in the Tangle, nothing really much happens, not really -- the sneaklings play their tricks and the flapdribbles ruin the good linens and the woofhowls make for noisy nights, but the folk mostly keep to themselves in their cozy corners of the labyrinth; but now, [i]now[/i], folks are turning up stone. Statues! Just here and there, one frozen in his garden, another at her breakfast table, another (embarrassingly) in the loo. About the same time this all began, certain walls of the labyrinth -- which had stood for epochs at least -- moved or sank or disappeared, making paths where no paths were before. Grandmother Wicker says that someone has stolen the heart of Gobbledygook ...

... and that unless someone brings it back, we all will be stone before long.

A call went out to the folk of the Tangle, encouraging adventurous souls to seek out and retrieve the heart of Gobbledygook. Any folk interested were asked to please kindly meet up early in the morning at Gobbledygook's forest, where the crime was committed and where clues may be had, for the King's court had nothing of the sleuthing sort on staff, and no one yet has had a clue what to do.
[right][h3][i]a curious place[/i][/h3][/right][hr]The Tangle is anything you'd like it to be; worldbuilding and ideas are encouraged, and the map can be constantly updated. Though it is a maze, don't worry; your characters know exactly where they're going. Mostly.

[list][*]Through [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4641326]Ozzy's CS[/url] it is established that The Tangle has a network of ceilings called The Cobwebs.
[list][*]Let's say The Cobwebs are sort of a network of inverted bridges and rooms that crisscross above the open passages of the Tangle. They are a maze of their own, though much less complicated. This means that those with the ability to use the Cobwebs to travel can take very different routes to their destination.[/list]
[*]Through [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4643624]Basira's CS[/url] it is established that [url=https://pre00.deviantart.net/1c89/th/pre/f/2014/335/f/6/the_hidden_door_by_rogierb-d88b9ps.jpg]the Door[/url] of the Tangle is open by day, closed by night and at times of peril, and is guarded by the riddling sphinx.
[*]Through [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4643900]Finn's CS[/url] it is established that the animals of the Tangle don't usually talk, but can be quite knowledgeable. Bees in particular are very proud.
[*]Through [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4644646]Alara's CS[/url] it is established that a part of the Tangle is steamy with natural hot springs and a plethora of mushrooms.
[*]Through [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4645339]Lily's CS[/url] it is established that the folk of the Tangle will go out of their way to summon and befriend faeries, perhaps to avoid their tricks.
[*]Through [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4646649]Calliope's CS[/url] it is established that there is a doorless, windowless tower called Ash Tower that never appears in the same place twice.
[*]Through [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4648067]ECG's CS[/url] it is established that the rock and stone within the Tangle has a level of sentience.
[*]Through [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/4651872]Lady Leaza's CS[/url] it is established that the Greenery lies within the Tangle, and Death is Leaza herself.[/list]

[hider=a cartographer's rendition of The Tangle][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/VGDTSDE.png[/img][/center][/hider]
[right][h3][i]a few volunteers[/i][/h3][/right][hr]Your character has only ever known the Tangle: a city-sized labyrinth of wide and narrow passages and angled open spaces, with walls made of stone or gemstone or thick dark wood draped in bright foliage, houses and buildings both tiny and magnificent, and inhabitants of much the same sizes. Characters may be of unusual and whimsical races, or mostly human as the player decides. A bit of worldbuilding where it concerns your character's backstory is encouraged, but bear in mind that the GM may use and manipulate it to the needs of the plot; in actual gameplay the player controls only their character.

The one thing I ask is that all characters should [i]care[/i] about finding the heart and returning it safely. This is one motivation that all characters should share.

[hider=a character sheet]

[color=darkseagreen]So what's your name?[/color]

[color=darkseagreen]Why do you look like that?[/color]

[color=darkseagreen]You're weird. I bet you can do some cool stuff.[/color]

[color=darkseagreen]So where's your home? Is it as weird as you are?[/color]

[color=darkseagreen]What's your favorite candy?[/color]

[color=darkseagreen]Do you have any?[/color]


[color=gray]To steal unabashedly from the FATE rpg system, please list your character's aspects. Stealable examples and ideas can be found [url=https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Aspects_List]here[/url]. Don't worry if you can't think of all five: you can fill in the minor ones during gameplay![/color]

[color=goldenrod]High Concept: (something that defines your character)[/color]
[color=goldenrod]Explanation:[/color]

[color=goldenrod]Trouble: (something that causes grief for your character)[/color]
[color=goldenrod]Explanation:[/color]

[color=goldenrod]1st Aspect:[/color]
[color=goldenrod]Explanation:[/color]

[color=goldenrod]2nd Aspect:[/color]
[color=goldenrod]Explanation:[/color]

[color=goldenrod]3rd Aspect:[/color]
[color=goldenrod]Explanation:[/color]

[/hider]

[hider=Meet Danny]
[color=darkseagreen]So what's your name?[/color]
Danny.

[color=darkseagreen]Why do you look like [url=https://www.artstation.com/artwork/5E131]that[/url]?[/color]
My horns are brittle and cracked because I am [i]old[/i]. I have long fur because I chill easily. My jowls are constantly scowling because I don't care for smiling. I am huge compared to most, but that is because I am as wise as I am tall.

[color=darkseagreen]You're weird. I bet you can do some cool stuff.[/color]
[i]Cool stuff?[/i] I can stomp the ground and knock even the stiltgoats off their feet. I can roar and cause earthquakes. I can eat an entire pizza in two seconds flat. I can see you in the dark -- but you can't see me.

[color=darkseagreen]So where's your home? Is it as weird as you are?[/color]
My home is the deep undermaze beneath the Tangle. There are creatures and growing shiny things and twisted whispers there that even you could never understand -- but [i]I[/i] do.

[color=darkseagreen]What's your favorite candy?[/color]
Honey chocolate chili jellies ... shaped like teddy bears.

[color=darkseagreen]Do you have any?[/color]
Yes. But they are not for sharing.

[color=goldenrod]High Concept:[/color] The Minotaur of the Maze
[color=goldenrod]Explanation:[/color] He is the master of the dark and deadly underground.

[color=goldenrod]Trouble:[/color] I Have No Idea How Much I Don't Know
[color=goldenrod]Explanation:[/color] He believes his knowledge and mastery of the world is unsurpassed -- but he's never been aboveground.

[color=goldenrod]1st Aspect:[/color] The Rules Must Not Be Broken
[color=goldenrod]Explanation:[/color] He must guard the center of the undermaze at all costs. He must never look upon the center of the undermaze.

[color=goldenrod]2nd Aspect:[/color] No Mercy, But No Cruelty
[color=goldenrod]Explanation:[/color] He will exact punishment upon those who break the rules, but will spare them as much as the rules allow.

[color=goldenrod]3rd Aspect:[/color] I Buried My Heart In The Garden
[color=goldenrod]Explanation:[/color] He tends fondly to his garden of glowing flowers, his greatest pride and joy.
[/hider]

[right][h3][i]gameplay[/i][/h3][/right][hr]The characters' forward-moving decisions and actions are what propel the story. A character which stands still and merely observes will have a very different experience from a character that makes decisions and acts upon them. The plot will react to what your character does -- and there is no wrong action.

Take risks.

Your character's [i]aspects[/i] may become important. The GM or other players may at any time invoke your character's aspects (acting upon the aspect and thus calling for a response from the character), so choose them with care. Similarly, NPCs, settings, and even inanimate objects might be assigned aspects that PCs could then manipulate in their posts. The GM will make a concentrated effort to post hider'd aspect lists at the end of each post, depending on what the PCs should logically discover. If I forget, or something seems like it should have aspects that doesn't, definitely drop a note in OOC. If you'd like your character to study someone or something to glean more aspects, this can be done through OOC, PM or Discord.

If (roughly) five days have passed since the last IC post, or 10 days have passed since the previous GM post, the GM will post to move the story along. Declare that you're working on a post, and you'll have one more day to finish. I'll post and tag everyone when the deadline approaches.