⇨ 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

[atouts]

[ And Childermass is the king of the skeptical, so when she mimes out crushing something — Hell, he assumes — he only quirks an eyebrow at her. ]

So you think you could crush an entire realm with it, but how, exactly?

[ He won't go as far as to jokingly add 'play a little tune?' since he figures that is, in actuality, part of the answer. ]

[amusicaladventure]

Thing is, I'm not entirely sure what exactly would come. Music I write myself is a lot more powerful than cover songs, but it's also a lot more unpredictable. I once sang a song about being hungry hoping some food would show up and I ended up teleporting into the kitchen of a Waffle House.

Mom and Dad really weren't happy about getting that phone call.

[atouts]

[ Well, at least most of that made sense to him. Kind of. ]

So it's random. Isn't that dangerous?

[amusicaladventure]

[Though Ash doesn't shift her posture or her expression at all, something in her tone and her eyes shifts -- abruptly much more mature, if not old, than the usual carefree girl who barely acts her age.]

It's not random. The music always shapes the magic. The magic does what I ask it to, one way or another. The important question is really, 'what did I ask?'

[atouts]

And if you don't know, then it's still random enough. It just isn't the music that's at fault for it.

[ Or at least, if one isn't sure, there's still some unknown element to it. At least, that's how he sees it. He'd be the first to admit he doesn't truly comprehend her sort of music yet if asked. ]

[amusicaladventure]

Yeah. Exactly. And music speaks to the heart, you know. Put something out there that isn't specific and it's just as likely to read your instincts and your subconscious as it is the words of your song.

[Though is it the music, or just her? Near as Ash could ever tell, that's a moot question; her magic is her magic, no one else's.]