⇨ 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

[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!"

[scientificist]

"Wonderful, a kangaroo court," Herbert says finally, unable to continue to be strategically quiet in the face of his sudden fury. "Is anyone going to tell us the rules of this Elysium or are you, purposefully staying quiet about those to moooore efficiently miscarry justice?"

[whattaprick]

Lambert has a hard time gauging if the Count actually believes the crap coming out of his mouth or has just grown exceptionally good at delivering bullshit with a straight face, like an herbalist advertising love philters that are really made of sewer water. For all that the Count reminded them they'd take the responsibility for their master's actions, he's playing the part of loyal, unquestioning servant ... a little too well? Even Childermass doesn't manage that.

"Even a pixie is considered a member of the Court, aren't they?" Lambert grins at Frost, nastily. "Not like those terrible Wyld Fae. Hardly better than animals, right?" Sure Frost's eons older than he is, but as far as maturity level goes, he's pretty sure they on the same level.

"If this is supposed to be a judgement, at least let the Beast speak for herself." He slides his sword back into its sheathe with a thunk, and reaches into one of the pouches hooked onto his belt. There's a small, barely audible crunching sound as his fingers find the golden egg tucked away there ... and break it.

[flashover]

A what court? Rin leans over to Shima and whispers, "I don't see any kangaroos... what the heck does that mean?"

[worldlyafflictions]

Rin please, use your context clues! Mutters back "Probably just a weird way of saying it's not actually a court or trial since they already know what conclusion they want..."

[lordofthering]

That's all it takes. The Ringmaster had been ready for a while now - all she needed was a place to go. Lambert's summoning egg becomes her needle on the map.

She has her wings and tail exposed as she enters from the shadows, black scales and green markings creeping along her otherwise brown skin. She's obvious angry. Her first move is to look around the assembled carnival members to check on their status, before taking a few aggressive steps towards the Count himself.

"Enough of this," she growls, pointing a claw in his direction. "You try my patience."

[periphrasing]

The Ringmaster arriving is enough to snap Peridot right out of whatever mental pit she has slipped into. The so called Great Beast looks terrifying right now, and the tension in this room full of dangerous fae has just spiked dramatically. But regardless of all that, she's an incredibly bolstering presence. The gem feels more confident already. Maybe something will go right for once today.

...Nevermind that she just appeared in a room of people who obviously want to kill her. That part, is less great.

Wordlessly, the engineer shuffles closer to the Nightrider. He's the closest thing to a comforting presence that she has in this room.

[whattaprick]

Lambert shakes eggshell off his fingers, coughing into his hand.

"We're in the Count's Elysium," he tells the Ringmaster, even though he doesn't actually know what that means, and looks to the other fae for their reaction. He hasn't actually realized that Herbert's been broadcasting this whole time, but he knows better than to think the Count will allow him any time to explain the situation at length to the Ringmaster.

That doesn't mean he misses the flash of green moving closer out of the corner of his eye, though, and he shifts position to put himself slightly more into position between her and the fae. Yuya's wards aside, he really feels like a sword is better protection than handholding at this particular point.

[lordofthering]

The Ringmaster pulls it back, just a little bit, casting Lambert a sideways glance. She's not angry at him, but she is tense enough that any detours from her main offense here feel a bit uncomfortable.

"I know," she says. "I know what Elysium is."

[flashover]

Rin, again, raises his hand. But this time, he addresses the Ringmaster.

"So uh... can YOU explain what Elysium is, Miss Ringmaster? Cause the little snow fairy just made a pop culture reference, and it wasn't very helpful."

Kinda funny. But not helpful.

[lordofthering]

What a great way to enter. Before the other fae can even respond, she is having to field basic questions to her team. Whatever. It's fine.

"An Elysium is a neutral space for discussion among fae. One fae in particular is in charge of it, and by entering you agree to an oath of non-violence towards your opposing factions... in exchange, the creator of the Elysium is given nearly unlimited power to ensure that oath is upheld."

Meaning the Count will be the one shutting down any attempts at violence.

[npcarnival]

Ignatius raises an arm in greeting.

"Welcome to court, you sick bastards!"

[stompadour]

Other, more reasonable people might be prepared to discourage the Ringmaster from doing a violence in a designated non-violence space surrounded by people who clearly don't need any more excuses to condemn her.

Jasper is not those people. The Ringmaster might not be in Jasper's best books right now, but she isn't about to try to swap sides when so much is at stake for her -- especially when she honestly doesn't know whether these other fae would actually prevail against the Ringmaster, if she was really capable of destroying their Queen.

So even as the Ringmaster is subsiding a little in response to Lambert's pointed observation, Jasper steps up to her side, shoulders squared, prepared to provide whatever backup might be necessary.

[scientificist]

"'Court'," Herbert mutters, doing air quotes with his left hand and hunching up his ratty-feathered wings.

[npcarnival]

Despite how stern he's been about the whole assassination of the Winter Queen situation, the Count doesn't seem particularly incensed to see the Ringmaster in person. Maybe its just not that personal to him. Maybe he just has a hell of a poker face.

"The Winter Court will make you an offer, Ringmaster," he says. "Give us the Blue Rose, and in exchange, we will spare your followers. It would only be fair, given that they were unaware of your treachery."

"I hope by 'us' you mean 'the Summer Court'," Ignatius says. "Because if anyone's been sparing people, it's me."

It's sort of a joke. Sort of.

[lordofthering]

The Ringmaster turns back to the other fae, growling.

"If I do anything with the Blue Rose, it will be frying your pathetic hides!" she says, bearing her fangs as she does. "Leave this place, return my followers, and the rest will be forgotten."

[whattaprick]

Lambert needs a drink.

"Like I said," he mutters, instead. "Not a planner."

But neither is he. Maybe the Count's only intention was to trap a sufficient number of people to attract the Ringmaster's attention and he's played right into it. Even so, there's still a question he'd like answered, all negotiations aside.

"Ringmaster, I don't think they're interested in forgetting. That pixie says he and the Winter Maiden witnessed you killing and eating the last Winter Queen." He gets grudges. That's a hell of a reason to hold a grudge. Having said that...

"Was that your idea?"

[lordofthering]

Lambert's question seems to force her attention onto Frost for the first time. When she looks at him, there is an expression of particular vehemence and familiarity, that just isn't comparable to the others.

"Well, of course that little blight would say that," she hisses, practically spitting in Frost's direction. "If you think continuing to bite my heels will bring you what you want, then you are about to be incredibly disappointed! You filthy little fuck!"

...And, she's so angry that she basically doesn't answer the question. That seems to be a problem, here.

[npcarnival]

For his part, Frost just smirks and waves, buzzing his wings as he whimsically floats in the air.

[bananaspeedrider]

"I BET HE'S HIDING SOMETHING!!"

Though mostly Yugo is bluffing.

[atouts]

"If Elysium is a neutral court for fae, what we said never mattered to begin with..."

Which is unsurprising. They aren't fae, even if, arguably, one of them is half. Childermass turns towards the Ringmaster, maintaining a calm that is actually taking far more effort than anyone could guess.

"The Athenaeum would have a book recording what happened to the old Winter Queen, wouldn't it?"

[periphrasing]

"Rrrrraaghhh, I don't care about ANY of this!" Peridot snaps suddenly, taking a forceful step out from behind Lambert. She's so furious that smoke is trickling out of the corners of her mouth. There's been a horrible nauseating pressure building inside of her this whole time that she has remained silent, worrying herself sick about her friends, listening to these arrogant, stuffed up fae snipping back and forth at one another... She's fed up with it.

"Give Lapis and Steven back! And Strange too, while you're at it!"