After the discovery of eldritch horrors and the existence of magic (never mind the subsequent apocalypse), people went underground. Special shelters called Labyrinths channel the chaotic energy of the one eldritch horror the humans managed to slay into powerful magic that protects them from discovery and supplies the shelter’s energy needs. (Think Cthulhu equals clean energy =) ) However, the Labyrinth has some, er, interesting effects:
Anyone living inside is biologically immortal; they don’t die from old age, starvation, poison, or disease. Otherwise fatal wounds like a sword to the chest can be healed, lost limbs or fingers (but not heads) can be restored. Aging is determined by personal growth and stops when someone has reached their physical prime. Death occurs for such people only after their ‘time has come and gone;” when the next generation reaches adulthood, they turn to crystal.
The Labyrinth’s ambient energies slow; everyone acts and thinks slower. This also makes people more likely to have a more long-term perspective (and more likely to get set in their ways) making them less prone to action and slower to realize a (non-obvious) emergency. If a house is on fire, they'll jump into action to fight it, temporarily entering a state of increased speed. However, if the emergency is more subtle, like the plight of those under discrimination, chances are it'll take even longer to solve.
The Labyrinth’s outer “wall” of illusive, diverting magic has an equal reaction on the people inside; life feels like a very vivid dream for them, and knowledge of subjects one does not have a 'knack' or any fundamental knowledge of is more difficult to gain. This effect does not kick in for children until they reach 18.
Additionally, the magical barriers outside the Labyrinth make people in the Labyrinth feel distant from those outside the Labyrinth. However, this has an opposite effect on those within the Labyrinth; they feel closer to each other. People in the same generation, occupation, or general area have increased feelings of camaraderie, which increases based on the closeness of the relation.
If a seventh son has a seventh son, or if a seventh daughter has a seventh daughter, that child will have psionic powers, like ESP, telepathy, and telekinesis, or be able to cast spells. If two such ‘blessed’ children have a child, that child will have both psionic and magical powers.
What impact will these magical effects have on the survivors inside the Labyrinths and how can they be accounted for to keep things in order?
My Thoughts:
- Point 2 could be accounted for by training the people to keep an open mind, but it's still a danger.
- Point 3 can be accounted for simply by educating children in a wide range of subjects before they reach 18. However, it will likely be easier to find what the children are gifted in and focus their education on that, leading to set occupations and a class system.
As always, I appreciate your input and your feedback. If there are problems with this question, or if more details are needed, please let me know.