⇨ EDEN

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 79 - Day 85
Where: Eden
What: Everyone arrives in Eden with their new animals forms - unfortunately, the welcoming party is a bit more intense than expected, with a ritual called 'The Anointment.' Better get this place figured out before anything gets any crazier.
Warnings: Hopefully no ritual sacrifice!

FLAME OF INSPIRATION↴ So it begins. After everyone has been given their new animal form and have had about an hour to readjust to it, the Ringmaster begins the infiltration. You don't see a lot of the specifics of the magic - all you know is that Pru's sword, the Hand of God, is somehow involved. It alone can tear through the wardings of Eden's realm, and once that entrance is made, the teleportation is instant. Everyone will find themselves in an open grassland overlooking a dense forest, with buildings and lights poking up out of the leaves. Behind you, there is a darker place - the barrens, the Ringmaster has explained. It's were the Outcasts are sent after they're banished. You are scattered across the area as if you've been dropped in with nothing. You've been given specific instructions - act as if you have no memory besides the vague life of being an animal. None of you know each other. You don't know how you got here, you've just been suddenly found yourself enlightened. Hopefully feigning ignorance will be what the residents are expecting, as what information the Ringmaster could find suggests it should be. Before the beasts of Eden come to claim you, you'll see the Ringmaster once last time, in the form of a giant serpent. With a nod of her head, she slithers away towards the barrens - she'll be in touch. ► THE WELCOMING: It's not long until you're discovered. The first to find you is a pigeon, who seems rather surprised. She'll ask the first few new arrivals she sees a couple questions - 'did you just get here?' 'did you meet the great Lilith?' Regardless of your answers, she'll hurriedly say she's going to go get help, and will fly away back into the forest. A short while later, an entire welcoming party of different animals will have come to greet you, sweeping out to find every straggler and explaining that you are the newest of the chosen. After they are sure that nobody is being left behind, they will invite you into Eden. ► THE GARDEN: Eden is a beautiful place. Every street, every structure, is surrounded by flowers and vibrant plant life - every bit as idyllic as its mythos would imply. The architecture is ambitious and creative, as if the residents have been perfecting the art for thousands of years, which they almost certainly have. There is the sweet smell of perfumes and incense on the other animals are you are led into the city. This is your home now, the locals will explain. You have been chosen by the Creator to serve Her cause. You will become one of the Honorable, one of Her artisans working towards the Divine Clarity. But first, of course, you must be sanctified. ► THE ANOINTMENT: On that first night, everyone is brought to a vast cathedral, covered in unknowable writings in a shining script. You are brought in through several gorgeous hallways lit with shining crystals and blue flame torches, only to emerge in a great hall built around a circular, sparkling pool of water. There are several braziers around its circumference blazing with fire, with sets of tools hanging out of them, like iron pokers. All of the new arrivals are gathered into the grand hall, and scriptures are read in the background that you can't really make out the specifics of. You will all be made to stand around the outside of the pool, and the local animals will gently explain to you what needs to be done. To become a new Honorable, you must be Anointed with the Flame of Inspiration - that is, they are going to brand you with the metal pokers they have heating up. If you go along with it, they will burn the mark into a highly visible part of your person (they have smaller brands for smaller animals), and then cool it off in the pool of water, where you are encouraged to bask until you are comfortable again. There are obviously a couple concerns with this. The biggest one is that it's sketchy as hell. The second one is that the brand is definitely made of medium grade iron. While the painful difference it makes won't be super obvious from the outside, long-term veterans and those with superlative fae qualities will find it very uncomfortable, and it will blister for a fair while afterward, which is seen as unusual. If your character refuses, or tries to get around it somehow, please explain in reply to the post down below. ► THE DAYS AFTER: After everyone is branded (or isn't, as the case may be), you'll be given the opportunity to dry off and head back into town. All of the fancy structures here are communal, they will explain, and you can choose wherever you'd like to sleep. There are a few buildings that are mostly empty that newbies seem welcome to hole up in, though the locals assure everyone they will be nearby in case they need help. In the days that follow, everyone will be welcome to explore Eden and find their bearings, and begin to discover what gifts the Anointment has bestowed on them. Whether or not you were good at a creative pursuit before, you will find yourself filled with inspiration for something - any artistic talent will do. It's like a creative talent will have been born in you overnight, or like an existing talent of yours has been boosted to near perfection. This effect will last as long as the characters are in Eden unless you are told otherwise. You won't feel the need to eat, but there is breakfast available, if you'd like it. The locals are very courteous, though they seem a bit confused. Something about your entry seems to strike them as different than usual.

Comments

[hippocarnival]

Yuya nods, and admits that he thinks that what both Fae Courts do to people, those that become changelings and those that don't, is wrong. He's like to see them understand how much it hurts, and to stop...

But the Ringmaster didn't make the carnival with that in mind, and he can't speak for everyone that they're interested in trying to change that. Right now, their only goal is protecting themselves, because the Ringmaster doesn't think the Courts will ever give up on chasing her. The Miracles seemed like the best chance, just like taking Ignatius probably did at the time.

He gestures downward, saying right now their biggest concern is just not getting murdered or enslaved forever. A lot of them want to go home when their contracts are done.

[npcarnival]

Ignatius says that Fae occupation is an inevitability. He isn't a big fan of unnecessary cruelty either, but trying to police every Fae about that sort of conduct would simply result in the entire society falling apart. That's what the Ringmaster and her kin didn't seem to understand.

He doesn't COMPLETELY say it, but the subtext seems to be that Ignatius considers himself powerless to change that aspect of the Fae.

[hippocarnival]

Yuya's not convinced that forceful occupation is ever the right answer or that the cruelty can't be curbed, but this isn't the time or place to debate it. He says he'd like to hear more about why the Courts do that, though, when they get back to the carnival--if Ignatius is willing to tell him.

Right now, though... he reiterates that the Ringmaster's goal isn't to be cruel to Ignatius, and a lot of people felt uneasy about the torture. Ignatius doesn't have to be an ally, but if they can trust him in Eden, and trust that he won't try and hurt people in the carnival if he's around them, Yuya thinks something can be done about being stuck on that island in the carnival.

[mirrortide]

It's mostly the same for Lapis. One moment she's reared up ready to fight, the next she's stuck in a box.

Trapped. She can move, so there's still something, but she doesn't bother fighting against it. There's no bellowing of rage from Lapis' end, just acceptance.

[npcarnival]

Ignatius tilts his head.

Is that Yuya's offer, then? That he gives them information so that they can "trust" him, and better his situation afterwards?

[hippocarnival]

Is that the deal Ignatius wants? If so, that's definitely a compromise Yuya's willing to take to the Ringmaster and vouch for him. She brought him along to Eden after all, so he's confident in his ability convince her to improve the situation. He'd be really unhappy if he was in Ignatius's position himself.

[hippocarnival]

They're all only marginally prolific anyway, Yuya was just curious about her subject matter.

"Not finished? Is it because you need more stuff for them, or are you having trouble with the idea?"

[soft_focus]

"I have to get the stuff to the right spot." So....Sort of a mix of the first one, with her size?

Bit of a drawback. "I can't make everything this small.... ...if it's always this small, then it can only be inside a building, with a small light. ...So I have to try making bigger things.

"...I was able to finish one with a tree though," she adds, blinking. "...I just had to cut leaves, on that one."

[hippocarnival]

That sounds like something that would be easier if she was bigger, but... "You know, when I spoke to the other Honorables, they told me since I'm new I should start small. I think the same goes for you."

Not that they're going to be here long enough to graduate in their crafts anyway, but maybe he should encourage her to ease it up a little.

[soft_focus]

Reira ponders that, for all of a few seconds.

She quickly frowns. "....Just because I'm really small, doesn't mean all of my art has to be smaller than you" she huffs, pouting. "...I just need to find all of the right things for the right places."

[seniorvicejanitor]

"You can read feelings?" Rhys asks, forgetting about the whole song thing because this was more important. He frowns (or something like it) and wonders if she's ever done that to him before. He hopes not.

"Like if someone is happy or sad? Feelings like that?" Rhys asks.

[seniorvicejanitor]

"Wandering around. Looking at things. Listening to people." Staying out of the way mostly. He was small and he would have been stepped on or eaten by some of the bigger animals. So, he was doing the smart thing and making sure his life stayed intact.

"I like the garden," he says, scrunching up his nose. "There's lots of things to smell in there. And lots of places to hide."

[npcarnival]

Ignatius sighs, staring at Yuya for a little while, like he's trying to figure something out. Finally, he relents.

"Yes. That's what I want," he says.

[moonfang]

He doesn't see it coming.

Well, actually, he does. He's in the back, and he sees the other blocks moving quickly into position to trap the others. But what he doesn't see coming is the block behind him and to the side -- his mask cuts off a lot of his peripheral vision.

He whirls and tries to jet back the direction they came with a powerful stroke of his tail and -- BAM.

There's a slight cracking sound as he runs, nose first, into the wall that had already set itself up behind him. His vision fills with bursts of light and searing pain; a jolt of electricity running from his snout, around and through his eyes, and right into his brain.

This is an Incredibly Painful Experience for two reasons; 1. Sharks have very sensitive snoots, what with all the electrosensory nodes and such, and 2. Hollow masks are certainly their weak point. They don't crack easily, but when they do, it feels like a shattered bone.

Zangetsu temporarily loses his ability to stay aloft as he continues seeing stars, vision and senses swimming with bright and intolerable light, and flops on the bottom pyramid as the other blocks close him in.

About thirty seconds later, there's a ferocious roar followed by yelling in an even more distorted and bestial voice than usual-- "SON OF A BIIIIIITTTCCCHHHHH!!!"

[hippocarnival]

All right, Yuya can agree to that. Does Ignatius have to do something to make that an offical deal, or is just agreeing enough?

He pauses, before saying that humans don't make magic that forces them to abide by agreements. Besides legal agreements, all they have is each other's word--that's why it's so important for them to trust each other and be trustworthy.

[npcarnival]

He shrugs his shoulders, and tells Yuya to just tell him, right now, that he vows to vouch for Ignatius to the best of his ability in regards to his situation in the carnival in exchange for the information Ignatius has about the Silver Mirror.

(Also living like that sounds awful, tbh.)

[periphrasing]

Peridot's comparatively smaller size works in her favor here; she manages to avoid being trapped, but she doesn't get out unscathed.

As the blocks approach, she squawks, and her expert scampering instincts take over. Rather than going up, she moves to launch herself off the conveyor belt and dives under one of the blocks approaching from the side, intending to make the quick shift from raccoon to bat once she's clear. UNFORTUNATELY, it's such a close shave that, when the blocks slam shut around the space she was just occupying, it catches her fluffy little raccoon tail between them. And Peridot lets out a bloodcurdling screech, because she has just broken multiple bones at once.

Turning into a bat manages to free her, since her tail in this form is so short it's almost non-existent. But when she flies up to get a better view of what the hell just happened, there's still tears of agony in her eyes.

[hippocarnival]

Yuya bows his head slightly and repeats Ignatius' terms basically word for word, since wording is important or something.

(Iggy pls)

[soft_focus]

"Umn, yes!" She's quite used to it- not so much announcing it, but enough that she's decided she should probably just tell everyone that's her Thing so that no one stares if she calls them out on their actual heart's desire or something.

"...Yeah, I guess... ...Sometimes I don't know the word for it," she explains, blinking. "...There's lots of words I don't know, so... ...I just know that I can feel all of that, whenever someone is where I cam."

So in other words, she has Totally Been Doing That, The Whole Time.

[whattaprick]

Lambert’s just listening to all of this, tail lashing. He’s about pushing the limits of his spell work here, and he didnt actually expect that to work ... but hey, there’s a reason Yuya’s in diplomacy and he isn’t. As promised, he stays silent, eyes half-lidded and ears pricked.

[fortuneglass]

Carly listens with evident curiosity. If she knew just what Rhys was most worried about, she'd correct him on the chances of being eaten by now but...

Well, maybe another time. As it is- "Ah... ....you're not working on any art pieces..?" she asks, suddenly even more intrigued.

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya's still in the air as the blocks come down, which gives him a vantage point as they close in. He looks up, and then quickly teleports out of the way, further to the corner as the blocks intended to trap him fall around nothing.

One look at those getting trapped, and Syrlya immediately goes invisible. It'll be no good to get trapped because someone's watching for a round two, and hopefully it'll leave him undetected enough to get an idea what the hell is going on.

[pipers_son]

"Then it's just this way~." Keeping a good eye on his tail, just in case it gets caught in something or stepped on, Joker begins to lead the way. The spot he's chosen has been a little circular area where smaller animals could sit or relax in, surrounded by lovingly decorated pillars. Now, however, the entire floor of the area is covered in various colored feathers.

Joker starts to hop up onto the pillar, clinging to the various plants and cracks that make it up. "Ya need a bit of a higher view ta get a good look at it!" But once that's gotten.. It's clear that he's arranged his feathers in a rough image of a rather colorful building from across the way.

Very rough. As in, color block rough, with not too many details. Joker is working from the basics up.

[npcarnival]

With Syrlya and Peridot both in the air, none of the blocks will make another attempt as grabbing them. Instead, the cage that almost captured Peridot remains closed, as if it still has something inside of it, as far as it knows. It, and the three others containing Lapis, Jasper, and Zangetsu, will change directions, floating into the entrance created by the shifting of the tunnel walls.

They will move along for a few minutes before beginning to slow - the path they've entered begins to widen, forming an interior room instead of just a passageway. The four cages will com to hover over pits in the ground that match the size and shape of the bottom pyramid, sinking down to interlock with the stone.

Meanwhile, a large rat with brown and white fur is working at some kind of crystal interface. They don't immediately notice Peridot or Syrlya, and are instead taking a curious look the stone boxes.

[spaghettimonster]

"I'm partial to reds," he begins, then pauses to look around. He's been noticing movement more, and things on the edge of his vision seem to go on a lot longer, and wowie he's been seeing things at night... "But, I'm noticing blues the most of all." As if they've been made a lot stronger a color, or the others faded. Hard to say.