Elemental Slide of Earth

One of the four elemental slides of air, earth, water, and fire. These virtually indestructible objects interact with the world in uniquely peculiar ways. Despite their names and appearances, the elemental slides function more like eldritch mechanisms than playground equipment, with each warranting different preventative measures and/or containment techniques.

## Appearance and Habitat

The elemental slide of earth is a white plastic slide. It is usually room temperature, slightly damp, and slightly dirty. Rather than have a ladder, it is built into the side of existing playgrounds, taking over and modifying any already attached slide into one with its properties. It favors playgrounds with softer groundwork like dirt or woodchips, but is more than capable of appearing in environments with cement, asphalt, or concrete. The elemental slide of earth can be damaged and destroyed, but this will only cause another slide elsewhere in the world to transform and take its place. This transition is not instant, and the chosen slide slowly distorts over a period of hours to become a new incarnation.

It is the only elemental slide that has multiple instances at any given time. At least 3 versions are accounted for, but there may be several more.

## Powers

Considered the second most dangerous slide. The elemental slide of earth warps the world in its immediate vicinity, creating a small but very deep chasm at its end. This hole takes longer to form than the rest of the slide, but reaches a maximum depth of 4 miles, or just before the earth's mantle. When fully formed, the hole emits hypnotic pulses that disorient the minds sense of logic and impulse control. This is especially dangerous when paired with the call of the void - the sudden urge one may get to jump from a high place or leap into a deadly situation. The elemental slide of earth slows down the body's rational and long-term response, favoring rash decisions that may lead to people using the slide and entering the hole fully aware of consequences but not puzzling them out appropriately. Most adults are too resistant to the effects to be lured in, but young children are especially vulnerable. There are also those who simply fail to notice the hole in the first place.

Anyone taken by the slide of earth has a chance to be saved. Though the hole is deep and relatively slick, it is not large. It is possible to wedge oneself in the narrow confines and slow descent, giving rescuers more time to assist. The hole is only deadly towards the bottom, as the fluids there dissolve organic components and their fumes cause lung damage if inhaled long enough. As one slides down the last quarter of the hole, they will gradually weaken and may lose consciousness before reaching the final 5%.

Care should be taken not to destroy the slide, as this prompts it to relocate and the hole to collapse, killing anyone already inside.

## Avoidance protocol

The elemental slide of earth can be avoided by simply staying away from it, though its range is long enough to affect those at the park boundary and lure them closer. It has a harder time coercing people informed of what it is and what it does, as they will already be primed to listen to their survival instinct. Additionally, the more factors between you and use of the slide, the more your mind is forced to understand what you are doing and the more time it is given to question itself. Having to cross 3 fences to get to the slide or needing to untie yourself from a bungie cord preventing you from its use will give you time to consider the ramifications of your actions and allow the call of the void to fade.

The elemental slide of earth does not react to individual people.

## Trivia

* The hole is cool.
* The hole is pleasant.
* The hole is mysterious.
* The hole is comfortable.
* All those facts lie at your feet.
* Don't you want to see how much is hidden?
* Don't you want to satisfy that urge to understand?
* Aren't you tired of people saying you're a quitter?
* Aren't you sick of being left with obscurities?
* You want to take control of this life?
* Then do something about it.