⇨ 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

[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.

[npcarnival]

"The first rule of Elysium," Frost teases, making a face at all of them, "...is that you don't tell anybody the rules of Elysium!"

[flashover]

"THAT," Rin exclaims loudly, "IS A STUPID RULE!"

[npcarnival]

"I think it is to all of our benefit to have a full understanding of this undertaking before proceeding," the Count says, levelly. It seems to be mostly towards Ignatius and Nightshade. "I'm aware that there will be conflict between the Courts regarding the permanent acquisition of the Blue Rose, which I feel is better dealt with in advance, if at all possible."

As opposed to fighting each other over it at the last minute, like they did in Portland. The Count is a lot of things, but he isn't a fool.

[npcarnival]

"Ah, you'll have a hard time selling that idea," Ignatius says. "The Rose Queen would sooner fight you to the death than bargain away the Rose." As civil as he sounds, Ignatius is firm with his assessment. He's not really interested in coming home empty handed.

[atouts]

Great, now they're being talked over like they aren't even here. It makes enough sense if they themselves don't actually matter. It does reveal the end goal, at least, which should have been obvious from the start. What to do...

Well.

If this is a non-violent trail of some kind... Childermass lets go of Lambert's arm and takes another step towards the Count's throne but, again, he won't go too far.

"You bring us here claiming that we must pay for the Ringmaster's crimes in her stead but what proof do you have of her transgressions? The Great Beast could not even stand against the Rose Queen in Portland and you expect us to believe a Queen, who must undoubtedly be more powerful than any of you, was defeated and devoured by her? All on her own, with no help?"

[whattaprick]

So the Count brought them here, in a place where they can't be attacked -- or attack others, presumably -- to talk? That's all? Lambert's seen too many negotiations fail to feel comforted by that, and when Childermass lets him go and steps forward, it's that thought which spurs him to step after him, if only to avoid being left behind.

But Childermass brings up a valid point. Lambert blinks, looking at him ... then back at the Count, frowning. He'd sounded sure of himself, when he'd claimed the Ringmaster's responsibility.

"She's not exactly a planner," is his helpful contribution, then amends it with, "Really, really not a planner."

[npcarnival]

The fae seemed to have been ready to start discussing matters amongst themselves, so when Childermass speaks up with such opinionated words, it sticks out like a solitary curse in a silent room. Slowly, all four fae turn to look at him, with a mixture of bemusement, impatience, and amusement.

"You speak out of turn," the Count says with a subtle tension in his tone. For a moment, no one speaks.

"He needn't speak at all, because I saw it myself!" Frost finally says, flitting forward with a trail of icey sparkles, bending into a flourishing bow. "As the footman of her majesty, I witnessed the cruel deed first hand, and the then Winter Maiden corroborates my tale."

[periphrasing]

The more fae start to show up, the more helpless Peridot starts to feel. Having the Count here was bad enough; this many faeries versus a handful of carnies is just makes for laughable odds.

Of course, she isn't laughing about this, at all. She still keeps her mouth shut for the time being, but the way these guys are talking about the Blue Rose as if they've basically already recovered it... She can't tell if they're confident, arrogant, or just stupid.

[whattaprick]

"And you did nothing to try to stop it?" Lambert asks, acerbically. "Seemed like she made out pretty well for herself, considering."

[npcarnival]

"Aye, yet I am but a humble pixie, my sir," Frost says, ignoring Lambert's tone. "I could not hope to intervene in a battle of such proportions."

[atouts]

"Considering you've failed in your duty to inform us of what the rules of Elysium are, I couldn't care less about speaking out of turn or not."

Childermass doesn't even stop Lambert from throwing in his own two cents, he just carries on. He waves a hand towards Frost.

"So he could not stop the Great Beast. Was the Winter Maiden as incapable? Seems an insult, that, and here you expect me to believe something as untrustworthy as a pixie. The Winter Maiden, perhaps, but she is not here to speak of this, now is she?"

[npcarnival]

"She has not been the Winter Maiden for eons," the Count says, simply. "She is our Winter Queen, and it is at her direction that we have taken on this quest."

[bananaspeedrider]

"Is she too busy to be here herself or something?" Because this whole thing probably smells fishy to everyone but the Fae present here.

[npcarnival]

"Yes, it was all very sad," Ignatius drawls, clearly having heard it all before, many times. "Both Courts have been without a Maiden for far too long."

He doesn't even consider answering Yugo's question, as he considers it to be asinine.

[npcarnival]

"Listen," Nightshade interrupts, putting up her hands. "How about this? We take the Rose. The Winter Court takes everything else, and is free to spill as much blood as will satisfy their thirst for revenge."

She waits until a few others have turned to look at her before adding:

"What? Everyone is satisfied!"