⇨ 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

[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!"

[npcarnival]

"I'd rather not," Ignatius says simply. "I haven't even got to take him out yet."

[lordofthering]

The Ringmaster turns to Childermass after staring Frost down for a while longer.

"It doesn't have everything written down, just a lot of things," she explains impatiently. "I've tried looking for that information before and I never found it."

[npcarnival]

"We have no reason to believe the word of a third party, no matter how many pages it's scrawled onto," the Count says, trying to cut off further discussion. "As far as the Winter Court is concerned, the matter has been investigated."

[lordofthering]

"This is what I mean," the Ringmaster shouts, thrusting a finger at the Count again. "This is how we are treated. Even now you hound me, and nothing I say will change your minds!"

[flashover]

"That doesn't seem fair at all! A third party account, like something from the Scribe, that would be real evidence..." Rin says loud enough for all to hear this time. It's 'out of turn' and he's just a Carny, so he doubts anyone will listen anyway... but he has to say something! "Cause, like... the Scribe doesn't really care about any politics or anything... They just wanna write stories. Right? If only there were some way to get straight information outta 'em..."

[periphrasing]

"He doesn't even belong to you!" Peridot howls back at Ignatius, voice cracking with emotion. "NONE OF THEM do!"

Even if. He technically does now. Maybe. This gem doesn't care in the slightest.

[whattaprick]

Lambert claps a hand on Peridot's shoulder. This is harder and more awkward than it sounds, considering how much he has to bend down to do it, but he doesn't say anything, just grips her shoulder hard enough for his claws to gently prick in. He wants Strange back, but with the taken sounding like they're spread between the courts, short of siding with one and cutting a deal with the other to use the Rose to beat the other up, well, their options are limited here.

"The Scribe only writes the truth," he says out loud. "If you're here, if you know what this library's books are made, you know that." He doesn't know how the magic works, but he looks at the Ringmaster, chewing his lip idly. They found books on the other miracles in a place this vast; can't they manage the same trick again?

"You say it's closed to the Winter Court. Is the truth really worth that little to you?"

[scientificist]

Herbert, naturally, doesn't really care about this argument that's happening. He doesn't see the point: he doubts they'll be listened to when it hasn't happened so far.

"Why do we have to be here at all--you've already made your mind up about the Ringmaster. Surely you can, argue with each other without our presence."

He tilts his chin up, eyes slightly shuttered, suddenly whimsical. "I'm a human, and a neuroscientist: this isn't my, Elysian Field."

[npcarnival]

The Count obviously couldn't care less about the Scribe, or about looking into this whole situation any more than the Winter Court already has. The crime was done eons ago. The time for debate has long since passed.

"We know that the Scribe is a personal ally of the Great Beast, and thus their testimony is invalid," the Count says, firm in his refusal to look into it any further. "We do simply what the Queen demands."

You'll note he doesn't say anything about justice, here.

[npcarnival]

Ignatius is looking at Peridot now, a mixture of incredulous and intrigued. She yells so loud, for something so small. Incredible.

"The wizard knew what he was bargaining for when he offered himself to me," Ignatius says, before looking over to Nightshade. "Pixie, do you know this little green one?"

[npcarnival]

The Counts gaze settles on Peridot with a sudden intensity, as if somehow his awareness of her has been turned from 'off' to 'on.'

"I know of her well enough. A criminal wielder of iron against her kin."

He looks her over, suspicion in his eyes.

"Were this not Elysium, I would see it fitting to string her up and punish her for her insolence."

[scientificist]

Herbert tilts his head back to look at the ceiling, and then slowly descends into a crouch, and then sitting on the floor. He imagines they're going to be here for a while and doesn't see a reason to continue to put effort into being actively ignored.

[whattaprick]

And as the Count’s gaze settles on Peridot and threatens her? Yeah, that’s Lambert’s cue to step forward with a snarl, bristling.

“Well she’s no kin of yours, so stuff it,” he snaps, having no idea what he’s talking about. He was, after all, thoroughly unconscious for that.