1 | Start

Welcome, adventurer! You stand at the threshold of an unwritten world. Where would you like to go, or what kind of universe shall we create together?

2 | Salt fog rolls across the wharves of Knossos at dawn. Massive ox-hide ingots—fresh from the copper mines of Cyprus—shine dull green in the torchlight, awaiting transport through the palace’s “living labyrinth.” Suddenly the harbor bell rings off-cycle: a Bronze Talôs, one of Daedalus’s famed clockwork guardians, has torn free of its patrol loop. Its bronze feet spark on flagstones; its single ruby eye flickers erratic reds. Sailors scatter as the automaton lurches toward the pallet of ingots, stamping each bar with an unfamiliar spiral glyph before hurling it into the sea. The palace factor drags you—engineers, envoys, and adventurers—into a side hall: “If this sentinel is rogue, the entire chain of guardians may inherit the fault. Stop it, trace the corruption, and restore the labyrinth’s logic before tonight’s equinox ritual—or the queen will blame us all.”

The bronze guardian towers before you, its metal body gleaming in the dawn light, ruby eye pulsing erratically as it stamps another ingot. Harbor workers cower behind crates. What's your first move against this malfunctioning Talôs?

3 | Investigate

You approach cautiously. The Talôs moves with jerky precision, steam hissing from its joints. The spiral glyph resembles a royal seal, but distorted. On its back panel, a maintenance hatch hangs loose. The automaton ignores you, fixated on its mysterious task.

4 | Crawl inside

You attempt to climb the moving automaton! The bronze surface burns your hands, and the constant jerking motion nearly throws you off. You manage to peek inside the hatch but can't safely enter—the interior glows with molten bronze and spinning gears.

You glimpse a damaged control tablet with Daedalic script.

5 | Investigate the tablet

You stretch your arm inside, wincing as heat sears your skin. The tablet is fractured but readable. Ancient Daedalic symbols glow with unnatural blue light. You recognize commands for “patrol,” “protect,” and “purify” – the last one appears corrupted, overlaid with the spiral glyph.

A gear shifts suddenly, forcing you to withdraw your scorched hand.

6 | Is it a modifier like a shift key on keyboard, reading “poetic”. Then I would press poetic + patrol

You study the symbols more carefully – brilliant insight! The spiral does appear to be a modifier glyph. Pressing both symbols simultaneously, the automaton shudders violently. Its eye flickers green briefly before returning to red. It pauses its rampage momentarily, then resumes with less aggression.

Something changed, but it's not fixed yet.

7 | Persist

With sweat beading your brow, you persist, pressing different combinations of glyphs. Suddenly, the automaton freezes mid-motion! Its eye shifts to amber. A hidden compartment in its chest slides open, revealing a crystalline core pulsing with the same spiral pattern.

The factor shouts: “The master key! Careful!”

8 | Look what it does

You observe the core closely. It pulses with internal light, the spiral pattern rotating hypnotically. Through the crystal, you see miniature gears and liquid bronze flowing in precise channels. The pattern seems to be rewriting itself, corrupting the automaton's original programming.

The Talôs trembles, struggling against its frozen state.

9 | What does poetic patrol does to automaton movement?

As you observe, the Talôs begins to move with fluid, almost dance-like motions instead of its previous rigid march. It traces graceful arcs across the harbor, still approaching ingots but now circling them thrice before stamping. Its movements follow rhythmic patterns like verses in a poem.

The factor mutters, “It's following an aesthetically pleasing patrol route!”

10 | Find something funny

You make an exaggerated, silly gesture toward the Talôs. Surprisingly, it pauses and mimics your movement with mechanical precision! The ruby eye flickers with what almost seems like… amusement? Each ridiculous pose you strike, it copies with increasing elaboration, momentarily forgetting its ingot obsession.

The factor looks bewildered: “Daedalus included… comedy routines?”

11 | Continue

Encouraged, you continue your antics. The Talôs suddenly freezes mid-pose, its eye shifting to purple. It points toward the palace with one arm, then resumes stamping ingots—but now it's gathering them, not throwing them.

From the harbor entrance, you hear metallic footsteps. Another automaton approaches!