⇨ 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

[anti_nonsense]

Rita narrows her slitted eyes at him. "I wanted to keep an eye on you, obviously," she retorts.

And, remembering that they're not alone here, she adds, "...to make sure you're okay after what you just went through." She's not very good at sounding sincere.

[npcarnival]

He laughs at her.

"A likely story," he says. The healers are giving the two of them very confused looks. Both of them are pretty bad at not sounding spiteful.

"Why would you think that?" one of the healers, a golden retriever, asks.

Ignatius doesn't answer them, still looking at Rita. The question hangs in the air.

[scientificist]

Why is everyone here so bad at avoiding talking about things which spoil their cover? Herbert butts his own way into the conversation, just big enough to be bigger than the skink and other cat and starts asking the healers about the brand, and if he'll have more negative effects later, and if he'll react this poorly later and basically just trying to divert their attention from Ignatius doing his absolute high best to ruin the mission.

[anti_nonsense]

At the question, Rita raises a paw and makes a shrug-like gesture as she suggests, "I don't know. He must be delirious. Poor guy."

She'll give Herbert a look that's mildly annoyed at first, but ultimately, she lets him steer the conversation away from that topic.

[npcarnival]

Thankfully, Ignatius lets it drop at that point, simply falling asleep again instead as the healers try to explain to Herbert that they have no idea what the problem is, so they have no idea if there will be further effects.

It's not long after that they will say, for real this time, that Strange, Herbert, and Rita all need to leave.

"You must leave now, or we will have to call someone to escort you. This is no place for gawkers," says the goose doctor.

[anti_nonsense]

Rita's not happy about that, but since the last thing they need is to make a scene...

"Let's go," she says to the others, but her gaze is mostly pointed at Strange.

[kingsroads]

Though he's been calmed down slightly from a borderline panic attack, Strange is making no effort to leave.

"I want to stay here," he points out, choosing his words cautiously. "And I'm hardly a gawker. I'm legitimately worried about him and will gladly help out if needed."

[npcarnival]

"No," says the goose. "I understand you're new and this is alarming, but I am about to call security. Don't force my hand!"

[anti_nonsense]

"I'm worried too," Rita says, gritting her pointed teeth as she slinks over to Strange, places a paw over his foot... and digs her claws in there, briefly. "But like me, you just got here, and I'm sure the last thing you want is to make a big scene as your first impression on everyone. Right?"

[kingsroads]

On the one hand, fuck you bird, you're not the boss of him! On the other hand, either the goose or the golden retriever could kick his ass. On the third hand, Rita is about to kick his ass as well.

"Very well," he grumbles. "I'll be back tomorrow."

And this is how Strange finally pisses off a npc.

[scientificist]

"Security?!" Herbert asks. "Is that also a calling? An art?" He's like. Willing to leave, he's just. Surprised.

[npcarnival]

This is always how it starts, isn't it?

Ignatius is too asleep to comment on them leaving.

"Not precisely," says the goose, shooing them all out. "More like a hobby."