Gordon's Compass of Vertical Labyrinth Management

Story so far

Everly received this device on The Eighth Floor inside a Benefactor Box from her sponsor, Dictum Waystation Controls, Limited. Simple in appearance, it points the bearer along the "quickest and safest" path through a maze, with 49 uses — but its description explicitly excludes subterranean mazes, which made it obviously meant for The Tower Maze rather than the floor's warren of downward holes.

At each of the tower's landings the compass indicated the safe one of five one-way doors, and every time it was right: the other doors vanished and the way forward was an empty hallway. Everly and ten mercenaries climbed all fifty flights in hours. On the 49th use, going from the 49th to the 50th level, it pointed at a single door and shattered into a dozen pieces. The name was the tell she missed — the item is branded for Gordon Waystation Outfitters, her sponsor's competitor, and the whole gift existed to walk her into a smear advertisement.

Appearance

A small, plain handheld device with no ornamentation; it breaks apart into roughly a dozen pieces once its 49th use is spent.

Role

The bait item that lured Everly up the tower and stranded her at the top.

Relationships