171 - The Garden of Earthly Delights

Ritual: The Garden of Earthly Delights

Cost: 1 significant charge.

Ritual Action: Enter a hedge maze alone while under the influence of the hallucinogen peyote and become lost while wandering it. Once lost, indulge in one vice you never otherwise would and offer ritualized thanks to Nicholas Flamel. A demon pretending to be him may offer to lead you to freedom or some transcendental reward, reject or ignore this unless you wish to suffer possession in return for it. If you come across strange landscapes seen through apparent exits likewise ignore them or risk being deposited in a random Otherspace.

When ready to leave use a mundane, non-technological, method of finding you way out. Navigate by starlight or recall that method of solving mazes by following one of the walls. Escaping while intoxicated is a matter of a successful Secrecy roll, fail it and you spend too long wandering the rows. A fumble or matched failure indicates falling prey to one of the maze's hazards. If the peyote wears off the ritual fails, hopefully you brought some more and have the presence of mind to use it.

Effect: For a period of time equal to the length of time spent lost, all failed and hardened notches you gain are illusory, like a weird drug trip. When the effect fades any changes to your shock gauges reverts to their pre-ritual state. Any disorders gained remain but can be treated via conventional (or unconventional) means. The GM is encouraged to hit you with minor sensory unnatural phenomenon while the effect is active.

For the next week plant materials are indigestible to you. Careful, a lot of food products contain high-fructose corn syrup and many medications are also restricted.