The Labyrinth of Fog

This article is about the Trial Zone. For the enemy faction, see The Labyrinth of Fog (Enemy Group).

Work in Progress

This article is currently a work in progress. As such, it may contain some editing notes in addition to information. Please be patient, it is being worked on and will be in a finished state before long!
Date noted: 2024-07-23

Overview

Official Background

(Copied from the Issue 28, Page 1 patch notes [1])

The secret vault of the Midnight Club is a vast trove and holds countless artifacts, most kept locked away for the safety of the world.

One artifact the Midnighters have utilized for many years in the training of their new magicians: A pocket dimension contained within an ancient cube created by the Cimeroran inventor Daedalus known only as The Labyrinth of Fog.

This labyrinth was a place constructed by the tools of the divine, housing an endless maze filled with visages of nightmare, borne from the memories of those who entered, and hunted by a monstrous beast that roamed its endless halls. It was a place where intelligence, strength, and wit could be tested to ensure the Midnighters who make rank can control the vast magics they command.

However, with the whole of humanity's safety at risk, the Dream Doctor has vowed to strengthen Earth's defenders by any means, and to this end sought to see the Labyrinth of Fog opened to any powerful hero or villain, to allow them to test themselves against superior versions of their greatest foes with no risk of death, a metaphysical danger room sustained by the arcane.

This would be the most promising method they had in their arsenal towards quickly building champions who could defend their world, and the need had never been greater. Any risks pertaining to the Labyrinth's original purpose would have to be dismissed in favor of the benefits it could provide to the world's strongest, after all, the Dream Doctor had himself trained in this Labyrinth.

Now, with the doors to this ancient dungeon opened to all, the Midnighters are providing support to those who are willing to face the worst of themselves and humanity's nightmares. Much hope was placed on those entering the Labyrinth of Fog and conquering its dangers that they might emerge as great champions.

"Imagine the birth of an army of heroes... Where each carried the might of Perseus, amongst history's strongest. Earth would be secure."

"...If you truly believe that the benefits outweigh the risks, let us test humanity's champions of today."

Neighborhoods

Core of the Labyrinth (Music)

Points of Interest

Boat of Doom (-23.6, -154.3, -3007.0)^[Copy]
Endless Colonnade (random entrances)
Forbidden Server Room (-1333.5, 80.4, -1014.5)^[Copy]
Gate of Darkness +++ Missing Information +++
Jack's Realm (369.2, -462.6, 1256.1)^[Copy]
You Against the World (440.6, -152.6, -1242.8)^[Copy]

Motes

These temporary powers can be earned by locating their corresponding Motes in the Labyrinth of Fog.

Once all seven of the preceding Motes have been acquired, players can approach the Gate of Darkness in the Core of the Labyrinth. This will convert the seven Motes into a single, combined Mote:

Mote of the Gladiator

Zone Event Details

Like The Hive and The Abyss, The Labyrinth of Fog is a raid zone with a low player cap (50), therefore any multi-boxing will not be allowed within. Homecoming's Code of Conduct has been updated to state clearly that any multi-boxing within this zone is not allowed.

Floors and Corridors

The raid zone begins with the labyrinth's entrance lobby.
- Reviving at the hospital while in this zone will return you to the entrance lobby.
- Idle players are returned to the Midnighter Club after 15 minutes of inactivity.
- Logging out while in the zone will return you to the entrance lobby upon login.
There is no mini map in the labyrinth except for the entrance lobby.
The entrance lobby contains four color-coded portals that each are used to enter into the labyrinth.
Each goes to a color-coded floor. There are six floor colors total: Red, Yellow, Blue, Green, Violet, Orange
The color of the floor determines what set of grouped enemies populate that floor.
- Violet Floors contain the most dangerous groups and Giant Monster event channel spawns.
- Orange floors contain completely randomized enemies.
Enemy groups that populate the labyrinth and their floor color are:

Blue:
- Arachnos
- Council
- Freakshow
- Gold Brickers
- Hydra
Green:
Yellow:
Red:
Violet:

Temporary Powers

Players are given two pop-tray powers while in the labyrinth to assist them:
- Escape From Fog: Teleports yourself back to the entrance lobby of the labyrinth. 1 second cool-down.
- Follow Through Fog: Teleport yourself to a target Team or League mate. May fail if the target does not have space nearby or is going through a door. Intended to help teams stick together. 1 second cool-down.

Malevolent Fog

Special Malevolent Fog pinata enemies (no attacks, no regeneration) can be found in the labyrinth that, when defeated, increases the zone's Level Shift navigation bar meter by 50 points and grants 1 Reward Merit to all players in the zone who meet the following conditions:
- Cannot be dead.
- Cannot be in the entrance lobby, the Core, or a secret area.
A single player who participated in the defeat will receive a Draught of Fog inspiration.
- These special inspirations provide the user with 15 minutes of a single Level Shift stack exclusive to them and their pets, as well as immunity to the Diseased debuff.
- These Inspirations are not bound and can be freely traded or stored in Super Group bases.
Malevolent Fog are most commonly found in rooms that are dead ends, and their FX makes them stands out in the foggy environment.
- Once defeated, another Malevolent Fog will spawn somewhere else in the labyrinth to take its place. This should naturally filter them down to lesser visited places over time while ensuring there is always some to be found.
Rarely, they are named "Annoying Fog That Gives Helpful Buffs"
Twenty of them can exist at one time
The zone-wide buff grants +1 Level Shift, +DMG/ToHit/Recharge/Recovery for each stack. It can be stacked up to ten times from either Malevolent Fog defeats or cumulative Elite Boss defeats. The current Level Shift total can be seen on your buff bar as a black icon with a white number:

The Level Shift buffs stack to a maximum of +10, decay at a rate of once per 5 minutes, and each decay will reduce the total stack of Level Shifts by 1.

Gladiators

Throughout the colored floors, players can encounter Gladiators In The Fog.
Standing next to one will prompt the Gladiator to respond.
Depending on how many badges from the Labyrinth you currently have, the Gladiator will do one of the following:
- Respond with hints/tips/lore dialog about the Labyrinth.
- Gift a Draught of Fog inspiration.
- Become hostile and attack the player. (More Labyrinth badges = higher chance of attack)
Each Gladiator will only interact with the same player once ever.
Defeated Gladiators drop a single Draught of Fog inspiration to one participating player.

The Minotaur

While in The Labyrinth of Fog, players are hunted continuously by The Minotaur In The Fog, a Monster that's Level 54+(5 to 10) and periodically (every 2-3 minutes) moves to the location of a player on the map (higher odds for the zone's oldest occupants, excludes those in the entrance lobby which is always safe), navigating the labyrinth's maze at inhuman speeds to find prey.
For every 8 players in the zone after the first, the Minotaur will gain another +1 Level Shift (min +5, max +10).
The navigation window will display the Minotaur's current level, or, if they're currently dead, will show a timer to their next respawn time:

1-8 players on the map: Minotaur = 54(+5)
9-16 players on the map: Minotaur = 54(+6)
17-24 players on the map: Minotaur = 54(+7)
25-32 players on the map: Minotaur = 54(+8)
33-40 players on the map: Minotaur = 54(+9)
41+ players on the map: Minotaur = 54(+10)

Defeating the Minotaur will award the new Slayer of the Minotaur badge and the Minotaur will vanish from the zone for one hour, allowing people to adventure and battle enemies within without danger.
- The Minotaur rewards a choice table with 5 Prismatic Aether + 10 Monstrous Aether to all who participated in the defeat on an 18 hour cool-down. Additional defeats within that time will only reward half the payout.
- Alternatively, can select 3 Draught of Fog inspirations with no cool-down.
The Minotaur will spawn with one of five different weapon power sets; All weapon powers deal 100% Negative Energy damage exclusively.
- All variants of the Minotaur come with the Unholy Plague Howl, Netted Pilums, Hoof Stomp, Trial By Combat, and Fog Given Form powers.

Rewards

Experience & Influence earned in the zone increased by 25%
- This stacks with other power such as Experience Boosters or Windfall.
Labyrinth of Fog is an extremely vast (40+ floors) mission-style zone filled with Level 54+1 enemies to battle for increased rewards.
- It is intended this zone be tackled with a Team or League.
All enemies in the zone are Rank Shifted (Minion -> Lieutenant, etc.) up to a maximum rank of Elite Boss.
Enemies behave identically to standard content and drop all the same rewards they would normally.
As Elite Bosses are defeated, a meter on your navigation will fill up, eventually granting a zone-wide Level Shift buff!
- Elite Bosses have a foggy aura to make them easier to identify as the targets in the zone.
- Elite Bosses increase in Level Shifts alongside the players.
- Pets (including Mastermind and Lore) also receive the zone-wide Level Shift buffs.

Exploration Badges

Hidden In The Fog (multiple locations)

The Labyrinth of Fog is an endless maze constructed from the amalgamation of memories taken from those who have entered the maze. Some speak of finding lost secrets, long forgotten, laying hidden amongst the fog, and that those who surrender themselves to the labyrinth are in a position to glean forbidden knowledge.

Lab Rat (7146.4, -802.5, 64.5)^[Copy]

While exploring the Labyrinth of Fog, you navigated a maze known as the Endless Colonnade.
You can't help but feel like a lab rat, running a maze for some unseen intelligence's amusement...

Historical Plaques

Greek Philosopher

The origin behind the Labyrinth of Fog has been obscured for ages, but you've recently discovered evidence that suggests the labyrinth was created to imprison an ancient calamity that once befell the islands of Greece.

Monument 1 (469.7, -205.0, 2713.8)^[Copy]

Monument 2 (227.5, -84.0, 2669.2)^[Copy]

Monument 3 (584.7, -113.3, 2800.5)^[Copy]

Monument 4 (289.9, -101.3, 2402.0)^[Copy]

Monument 5 (543.1, 7.0, 2856.0)^[Copy]

Monument 6 (395.0, -245.3, 2748.7)^[Copy]