Laboratories

The Laboratories are a complex of corridors and rooms, thought to be a Shard.

Appearance
From the outside, the Laboratories appear to be a small, unassuming white building. Stepping into reveals a complex of corridors, extending for many more levels and greater distances than is apparent from outside. Each corridor is 60 metres long, perfectly straight, and intersects with four others at perpendicular angles. At the end of each corridor is a staircase leading to the adjacent floors, with there being twenty in total. Spaced at three metres along each corridor are doors, each with a panel outside. One can open a door by discharging a small amount of electricity into the panel.

The corridors and doors are all identical. The walls are white plaster over steel, the floors white linoleum, and the ceiling untreated concrete. Doors and doorways are made out of plain steel. No markings or ornaments of any sort have been noted in the corridors. The entire complex is lit with a harsh, white glow by fluorescent light fixtures which run along the top edges of each corridor.

The majority of the doors open into offices or laboratories of various descriptions, all of them too large to be consistent with the pattern of doorways and corridors outside. A few open into supply closets. A wide variety of laboratory supplies have been found, including advanced imaging devices, benches, patient tables, surgical chairs and equipment, chemical supplies, radiotherapy equipment, microscopes and pathology analysis machinery. All equipment is spotless and sterile; the laboratories neatly arranged, as if never used. Offices are all alike, usually containing a desk, chair and unpowered computer terminal.

Phenomena
Initially, it was thought that the only anomalous phenomenon the Laboratories possessed were its altered spatial dimensions. It was not until one of the computer terminals was activated by the combined efforts of Concord and Ekram Schrine that the true extent of its anomalies was realised.

The terminals contain one program, a repository of information on "Experiments". Records can be accessed via a main index, or through a search of number or name. The system contains at least 3,245 records. The first 1000 describe experiments on children aged between 0-18 years, detailing the methodology used to create them, powers the children expressed, and how they were tested and contained. All known Warriors of Twilight and Madness can be found listed in the records after #1000. There are also documents listed for companions known to the Warriors, people and gods from their home worlds, and unfamiliar figures.

The records describe the Warriors in much the same way as the child Experiments, treating them as if the Laboratories had been responsible for the creation of their powers. The experiments reported on the Warriors are typically more violent than those for the child Experiments. It appears that the Laboratories extensively tested the Warriors to determine the true extent of their powers, weaknesses and durability. Experiments were also performed to enhance the degree of control the Laboratories had over their subjects. Surgical techniques are described in great depth, to the degree that they could be easily replicated with the equipment left in the Laboratories. The majority of Warrior Experiments were not successful, resulting in either accidental death or purposeful termination.

It is currently unknown how trustworthy the information provided is, given that the records describe alternate sources and modes of function for Warrior abilities. If accurate, this would represent an invaluable resource, as the terminals provide detail on weaknesses for all Warriors - and the gods of Sundry. However, the Luminous Society cannot condone the methods described in the protocols that would need to be used to verify the information.

Field notes
The lab equipment here is astounding. I've never seen such advanced medical technology before. Hopefully no one minds if I take some... As weird as it is, it kind of feels like home here. &mdash; S. Takano

Addendum #1: Sometimes I hate my abilities so much. I tried them on my second trip. There's so much pain in this metal. The benches sound like screaming. The scalpels are worse. Maybe I'll donate all of the supplies I took home to Xaras and Ekram instead... mdash; S. Takano

Addendum #2: Iae and Ekram decided to accompany this time. As soon as we stepped into the Laboratories, the entire place went berserk. The lights dimmed and a shrill alarm nearly deafened us. Panels slid open in the walls and ceiling, revealing cameras, microphones and devices resembling futuristic guns. I was certain we were going to die, but the only target was Iae. She was struck by some kind of dart from the guns which rendered her unconscious. Then a swarm of small, silver drones surged over us and carried Iae off.

Only Ekram's presence of mind saved us. He snatched Iae's fairy companion and loaded her into that ridiculous cannon thing*, then fired her as a blast of energy at the metallic swarm. Most were destroyed by the shot, and we managed to stamp down the rest that were still trying to drag Iae away. I'll never forget the sound of those scuttling legs, and the blackness of the doorway to which they were dragging Iae. We picked her up and ran. Fortunately, she wasn't hurt other than a few minor scratches, as the aetheric energy of fairy is attuned to her. Nothing of that sort has ever happened before, and I have no theories as to why they targeted her specifically.

&mdash; S. Takano

* When is here going to let me touch it? The metal and design look so interesting.