Soul Merger

Monsterpedia Supplemental -

Breaches, Shortcuts, and Portals

While the writers of this book do not subscribe to the belief that labyrinths break certain rules because they are sentient and hate us, the fact remains that the rules around them are messy. These three are the most common traversal oddities found in labyrinths, but not an exhaustive list or universal.

Breaches -

By far the most dangerous of the three oddities, breaches are when a labyrinth opens a new passage to the surface. Current theories suggest that this happens if an area gets a large amount of magic pooling, while also having an emotional resonance with a very close labyrinth. However it's hard to prove this theory, as no one has ever been present for a breach forming. Or at least no one has survived to report it.

Breaches usually come humanoid sized, but smaller ones and larger ones have been reported. They can also end in any layer of the labyrinth. This can easily lead to disaster if a large portal connects the fourth layer or anything connects to the fifth. Several dangerous Outbreaks have occurred because of an undiscovered Breach.

Dealing with breaches is easy at least. The 'self repair' functions a labyrinth has doesn't reach the breach. Several tons of concrete or rubble can seal most, and adventurer's guilds often place guardposts around the area. Monsters also don't form in the breach pathway, so deadly traps can be added if desired.

Breaches are rumored to be the cause of wandering monsters. While undoubtedly some amount do come from breaches, they can't cover all the wondering monster issues we face. Unless there's actually millions more breaches than we've found.

Shortcuts -

Less dangerous than breaches, shortcuts occur between two labyrinths in a similar area. As such they don't threaten people on the surface. However they offer threats and benefits to delvers. A shortcut can allow delvers rapid access to more useful materials and monsters. Or they could allow dangerous monsters to wander into areas that they aren't expected.

Shortcuts are more similar to the surrounding labyrinths that breaches are. Specifically they resemble a 'mini labyrinth' that looks like terrain that logically would connect the two labyrinths in question. For example a cave system could be connected to a volcanic labyrinth by a series of lava tunnels or basalt caves. And the monsters and traps that form within will match the environment of the shortcut.

"The Fire Dragon of the Ice Cave" is a funny story. But those kind of issues CAN happen around shortcuts and it always sucks if you've prepped for one monster group and not another.

Portals -

Portals are the most common feature of labyrinths but still not universal. They are a tear in reality. A non Euclidean mess that looks like a 2d hole leading to an alternate dimension, no matter what direction you look at it. Portals are always at the bottom floor, probably at the point where the collapse began. That's because portals always lead to the area that the labyrinth used to be.

As you might imagine this makes reaching an entering a portal a great way to acquire riches. The artifacts, knowledge, and materials from before the Fall are all sitting there for the taking. The problem of course being you have to survive 20 floors of labyrinth, get past all the monsters, and then deal with the demons that live on the other side. Then get back out alive.

Demons are not native to these realms behind the portals. However it seems they prefer the spaces, and use it to found their own cities and realms where they don't have to deal with humans or lesser monsters bothering them. This is why deep dives (known as raids) to loot the relics of the past are rare ventures only performed by powerful teams.

Easy labyrinths usually lead to areas that have been heavily looted, meaning people trying to Raid it will have to spend more time searching to find good gear. You likely aren't the first person to have that really cool idea to sneak into a Portal and loot the area. And if the idea actually works, the place will probably be cleared out.