⇨ HOME AGAIN

[ringleaders]

Who: Anyone!
When: Day 68 - Day 72
Where: Carnival grounds.
What: Everyone makes it back to the carnival after their adventure in hell. The Ringmaster makes a new lake to celebrate, apparently.
Warnings: A notable absence of torture.

TO HELL AND BACK↴ The rescuers and the liberated captives will emerge from the portal like bats out of hell. Much like their previous return, this arrival will be met with a flurry of medical activity as everyone gets their injuries seen to, particularly those that had been held prisoner within Morningstar's hell fortress. It will still be night when they arrive, and the rest of Day 68 will be clouded over completely, for the benefit of the new vampires as they get settled in. After the immediate panic is dealt with, the Ringmaster will disappear into the forest until the morning of Day 69. It will be raining off and on during her absence. ► RECOVERY: Unlike the last time, the Ringmaster will be supplying the carnival workers with some healing potions from her private hoard, given that most of the healers are already wounded or spent. Damage caused by iron poisoning will not be cured by healing magic or healing items though, unfortunately, and those who have spent a lot of time in contact with iron will take at least a week to fully recover. However, regular healing remedies like bandages and herbs may help speed things along if the patient is suited to them. ► A BRAND NEW LAKE: On the morning of Day 69, the Ringmaster will return the forest to announce that she's built a new lake into the carnival grounds, only a short trail's distance from the backyard. Unlike most of the forest, this area won't just lead you in circles when explored, meaning that it can actually be modified and developed as the workers see fit. The water is always clean and just the right temperature for swimming, though it gets a bit cooler the deeper you swim. At the far side of the lake, there is a warm, stone pathway leading up the side of the mountain, that will eventually take you to some bangin' hot springs. Brought to you mostly because the Ringmaster doesn't know how to say sorry with actual words. At least it gives you something to play with while you try to shake off the trauma. ► FRUITS OF VICTORY: On Day 70, all the workers who came to hell for the rescue mission will be given a gift from the Ringmaster. Each of them will receive a bright green, glowing seed, about the size of your thumbnail. She will tell you that, when planted, the seeds will swiftly grow into a small citrus tree, which will grow fruits with regenerative properties. More details about these plants will be written up in a separate post, but for now your characters can ogle them and decide if they are going to plant them or not. ► TAKE ME TO CHURCH: Staring on Day 71, the Ringmaster will be starting to work on removing the vampirism from those infected with it, which apparently involves a lot of... meditation? She will take the newbie vampires out into a shady area of the forest and encourage them to look inside themselves and attempt to separate themselves spiritually from their demonic beasts. How well you character masters her teachings over time will determine whether or not she is ultimately capable of stripping out your demon soul and returning you to life. Of course, not all demons are made equal, and some will be more difficult to separate than others...

Comments

[thevictoriandetective]

Sherlock truly starts to wake up as he realizes he's sipping a coffee and sitting at a table. He blinks, blearily, like he wasn't exactly sure where he was or what he was doing. But he finally didn't feel like an ice cube anymore, though he took a moment to take off his coat, as it was retaining a chill from the soaked wool. It was warm enough in here to be without one.

"I...erm..." it took the detective a moment to reboot his brain, the drawback of being cold-blooded also meant higher reasoning was sort of on autopilot until he achieved an acceptable temperature.

"Right...I remember you," he said, his face softening. As much as a snake-face could. "I should be apologizing to you, rather. I should have been able to free you...I am sorry." If he wasn't high off his rocker he could have been far more effective.

[raynos]

Jamie is genuinely surprised by this reaction.

"No...no, you don't need to apologize," he says, shaking his head insistently. "Those...things that were messing with us...I don't think anybody could've done much against them. They were just...too much."

Too strong, too fast, too powerful. The vampires had simply had more aces up their sleeves than any of the carnival members had been equipped to deal with. Jamie doesn't hold it against anybody for what happened to him. Except the Ringmaster, but that's a problem for another day.

His eyes flick toward Sherlock's wrist, try though he might to avoid doing so. "So...how're you holding up?" he asks hesitantly.

[thevictoriandetective]

Sherlock's arrogance and confidence in his own abilities assured him he could have done better, done something, figured out there were vampires, if he only hadn't been addled by the poisonous mix raging through his bloodstream. But there was a more human part of him that agreed with Jamie. What could they have done against such an enemy?

"Still, maybe I could have...figured it all out, before it all got bad. I don't know."

His clawtips clinked against the table as he put his coffee cup down, seeing what Jamie was looking at. Ah.

"As well as can be expected. Injuries are healing. Withdrawal sucks," he said, his brows furrowing, a slight half-grin. "I do hope that you weren't too affected by...you know. All that. Let me be the first to tell you don't get hooked on that feeling, all right?"