⇨ DANGEROUS ENCOUNTERS

[ringleaders]

Who: Anyone out in the library.
When: Day 59
Where: The Athenaeum
What: Towards the end of the visit, we are visited by a series of worrisome NPCs, who may or may not be illusions. There will be at least 5 NPC toplevels posted overall, all happening in a similar time period ICly (in rough chronological order), so not everyone needs to be in every thread.
Warnings: Possibility of very real danger to anyone who participates. Remember that Sans has told everyone to travel in groups, so if you aren't, you'll probably get a scolding later.

TURNING THE PAGE↴ As the carnival continues to explore the Athenaeum in the pursuit of more information about the legendary Miracles, the tension is thick with the knowledge that the Summer Court could be in pursuit any day now. On Day 59, a series of threatening encounters will begin manifesting - but are they real, or an illusion?

Comments

[bananaspeedrider]

No matter what direction the situation is going, the brightness of green headlights and the thrumming rumble of an approaching motor vehicle awkwardly breaks into the air. Because an addition to the audience is exactly what everyone needs right now (not).

Most people would know that it's none other than one of those assigned as one of the carnival's daredevils.

... The boy peers at the rest of the group, but then his sight finds the Count. And he doesn't say anything aloud, but his face says what he's thinking very clearly: Ah shiiii-

[stompadour]

"Some of us have bargains to uphold," says Jasper curtly. If someone else could offer her the same bargain, though...? Standard of care is hardly high on her personal list of priorities.

That said... "If she thought she could defeat the Ringmaster easily, she wouldn't be talking to us. These fae are cowards."

[periphrasing]

Peridot flinches when the motorcycle breaks onto the scene, her sensitive ears throbbing with the noise. Really? Right now?? She's trying to think here, buddy!

She shakes her head doggedly and turns back to face the matter at hand. "I'd have to agree with Childermass on that," she adds. "We've seen how a few different members of your kind treat their servants by this point and frankly, I've yet to be impressed or enticed."

[whattaprick]

The more others begin to register their choices in the negative, the warier Lambert gets. There’s no doubt in his mind of his own answer, but the only uncertainty is how the Count will respond to it, and he steps forward to flank Childermass. The shield on his back rolls it’s eyes, flitting on the crows still surrounding them.

Could the Winter Court feel it when the Rose was touched, even if it wasn’t by one of their own? If all this trouble is because he let some kid touch a flower ... well, wouldn’t be the first time Lambert’s made a bad judgement call. Hopefully he’s not about to make another.

“You’re one to talk about futility,” he says. “The Winter Court’s the one desperate enough to poison themselves with iron to win, and they’re not shy about using changelings to do it.” In contrast, the Summer Court’s the one likely to smother you. His mind ticks back over the conversation again, and he frowns, a detail he’d ignored before tugging at his attention.

“Just how long have you been watching us?” Because “you have been observed” means ... what? Since the Manor? Since they got here?

[npcarnival]

The Count actually smiles at Childermass when he says that, which is undoubtedly very creepy. There is a certain unconcealed smugness to it, too, as if to say 'maybe so but what can you do about it?'

He seems a little bit less amused by Lambert's question, and is confused at first, as he tries to work out what he's even talking about.

"Ah. The Mother of Invention, you mean? We can't all be judged by the absurdities of our most eccentric."

The Count's style seems to be ignoring questions that it doesn't suit him to answer.

[npcarnival]

Suddenly, a pixie whizzes into the room. It's Frost specifically, casually emerging from the shadows with no air of confusion. He comes to the side of the Count's throne, looking onward in amusement.

"Ahah! Not quite a party, but close enough!" he says, cheerily.

[worldlyafflictions]

Letting go of Rin finally when yet another Fae enters the room, posture shifting to lean more against his staff.

"Not ta say I'm not willing ta be flexible, generally speaking, but ya've really gone outta your way ta mention how ya don't need us, haven't ya. No surprise your offer isn't too welcome, it really lacks the spirit of cooperation, haha. I'm getting the impression we're too lowly ta actually negotiate with, ya know?"

He doesn't sound that offended in comparison to the other comments so far, though his tone is probably still not polite enough for a Fae's taste despite the gestures toward it.

"Ya may as well finish up 'n let us go if that's the case. There's probably more ta learn from watching us scramble all together than taking whatever bits 'n pieces anybody could easily dig up here."

The irony of Shima saying this is probably lost on most.

[periphrasing]

(Startled, Peridot actually hisses and spits like a cat when Frost makes his appearance, taking half a step back behind Lambert and Childermass.)

[npcarnival]

"That's because you're not worth talking to," Nightshade says, appearing in a cloud of purple spores. She casts Frost an unimpressed look the moment she sees him, but otherwise focuses on being generally disdainful towards the carnies.

"Both Courts have retrieved more than enough information to act. Why the Count insists on dragging out this facade is beyond me."

She glances back towards the Count, leaving that question on the table.

[periphrasing]

(EVEN MORE HISSING OCCURS)

[atouts]

"Because he wants something more out of this," Childermass mutters. Sure, he'll give Frost a cursory glance but it's Nightshade that he turns to eye warily most of all. On top of that, he really doesn't want to look at the Count's smiling face right now, which is a hint more unsettling than Nightshade even being here.

"Since when does Summer work with Winter, Nightshade?"

[npcarnival]

"We don't," she says, crossly. "I'm simply attending his Elysium on behalf of the Rose Queen, until she can finish putting the baby to bed or whatever nonsense she's up to now."

For the Rose Queen's lacky, Nightshade has never sounded particularly patient with the other fae.

[atouts]

"Poor Nightshade. Still stuck doing all of her unimportant chores, I see," Childermass has to get at least one jibe in here.

[whattaprick]

"The baby" can pretty much only mean one thing, and Lambert can only guess at the reaction of the gem behind him. He's going to reach right back and blindly try to get a hand over Peridot's mouth.

[npcarnival]

"Regretfully so," Nightshade admits, putting a hand to her face in obvious exasperation.

[periphrasing]

Yeah good call there, Lambert. Mostly what he manages to stifle is a horrified sounding gasp, though, because this information is utterly crushing. Nightshade's words, however indifferent or unintended to wound, are like a punch to the gut. Peridot can barely even begin to comprehend losing both Lapis AND Steven; the reality of it is just too chilling. She doesn't even try to bite Lambert to get him to let go.

[npcarnival]

It sounds like a good time for Ignatius to strut in, which he does. His flames roar out of the shadows, and he walks right up to the Count's throne like they are the best of friends.

"Elysium, eh?" he says, and then puts out a hand to shake. "Ah, good man."

The Count looks at Ignatius dully for a few extended moments before giving him the most cold fish handshake imaginable. Ignatius laughs and slaps the side of the throne, before leaning against it casually. He gestures at the assembled carnival members.

"You've got the mortals here, too. What could you be driving at?"

[bananaspeedrider]

"Sounds like something that everyone wants to know."

Yugo's thinking that it would feel a lot better if he was an actual angel as opposed to being his regular self right now. Being a guardian made him feel above any odds stacked against the Carnival.

[whattaprick]

Maybe should have saved that hand over his mouth for himself, really, because when Ignatius appears, Lambert feels an instant, comfortingly familiar uptick of rage and gives a hiss of his own. Only the sharp awareness of how many Fae there are here, and how woefully outmatched they are, is keeping him from launching himself forward for now.

As it is, it feels like they're about to be captured anyway. He can't help taking a half step forward, lips curling back from sharp teeth and and a short burst of flame spilling from his lips on a snarl.

[atouts]

Which means it's his turn to grab Lambert by the arm and keep him from taking more than that half a step. Childermass knows they're as outmatched as the witcher does and it's despair-inducing at this point, not that he'll ever show it.

"Though our pink-haired fellow has the right of it." For Shima's sake, he won't throw his actual name around at horrible faerie people. He turns back to frowning at the Count. "Unless you're planning on simply killing us all at the end of this for the Ringmaster's crimes or doing the same as the rest and taking us away by force, there is no reason to keep us here."

[worldlyafflictions]

Oh...

Is this. a hostage situation. to force the Ringmaster to attend their court.

[flashover]

Man. This is a LOT of fae in one place. And from both courts, even! This must be important.

But what Shima thinks, Rin says aloud.

"... A...ah. I think... we're meant to be hostels!!"

... Oh well. Close enough.

[npcarnival]

"It's an Elysium, stupid," Nightshade hisses, apparently getting tired of everyone's obvious ignorance. "You'll only be harmed if you break the rules."

[flashover]

Rin blinks a few times, then raises his hand, slowly. Like he's in school. He doesn't wait to be called on, though, also like in school.

"Ok but uh... what's an 'Eeee-lee-see-yum', exactly?"

[bananaspeedrider]

"And 'course that depends on what you guys say the rules are, right?"

Because Fae make their own rules in a sense far more convoluted than what normal people can come up with, or something. And even then those darn loopholes.