⇨ 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]

When he mentions a deal with Ignatius, Rita's ears flatten and her eyes sharpen into a glare. But her expression turns somewhat confused when he goes on to explain that the Ringmaster agreed with the idea. That easily? No way. Strange might be stupidly trusting of Ignatius, but her?

As Herbert talks, Rita retracts her claws, though she stays within reach of Strange.

"Forcing the issue with those animals would only make things worse," she finally grumbles, seemingly biting her tongue regarding some of the other things mentioned just now.

[kingsroads]

"I don't care if it makes things worse," Strange grumbles. He's puffing up his feathers in irritation as he continues to try and look back at the healing tent.

"And I care about him because he's my responsibility." And because Strange actually kind of likes Ignatius. But one point at a time. "I should be in there with him, not out here doing nothing."

[scientificist]

"You should care--you'll hurt all of us if you break cover." Herbert starts pacing irritated circles around Strange. "You're a liability if you don't leave him alone--they're already scrutinising us thanks to that, branding debacle, do you think drawing more attention to his unusual reaction is actually helpful to him? As you apparently care more about a man you just met than anyone else."

[anti_nonsense]

Rita's a bit less diplomatic than Herbert. She swings a paw at Strange's beak in an approximation of a punch. Or a slap. She doesn't use her claws this time, at least.

"Don't be an idiot!" she hisses. "Instead of doubling down on a bad idea, we have to think of a new way."

[kingsroads]

Strange's feathers are intensely puffed up at the moment as Rita whaps him across the beak. Okay, stop beating him up you assholes. Strange attempts to nip at her ear in return.

He's not saying anything but at least he's not doubling down on going back in the healing tent. Instead, he gives Herbert and Rita a look that plainly states 'go on, tell me your ideas.' Ideas that Strange is preeeetty sure neither of them have at the moment.

[scientificist]

"Well it's too late now!" Herbert exclaims when he catches the look. "You've already made a suspicious nuisance of yourself, there's nothing we can do about that at this point--what would you even intend to do if you went back? Go to whatever passes for jail here when they call security? Do you want to help Ignatius...or make yourself feel like you're helping?" He sneers at Strange. It actually looks kind of adorable because he's a cat.

[anti_nonsense]

Rita flinches at the nip, then sighs and rubs a paw over her face.

Okay, brainstorming time.

"Can't you," she whirls a paw around, as if to illustrate a pool of water, "scry for him or something?" That seems like the most logical approach right now.

[kingsroads]

"I could," Strange responds. "But then what? I wouldn't be able to get to the healing temple that quickly if he takes a bad turn or something odd happens with the brand."

Because at the end of the day, Strange still doesn't really know how iron would interact with a fae turned skink who had a lot of his fae-ness removed already. Ignatius is just a puzzle of complications and Strange has absolutely no idea how it would turn out.

[scientificist]

As far as Herbert's concerned, either Ignatius will get healed and let out, or he's already compromised and they should cut their losses. But Strange won't go for that.

"Can't you, scry near the temple?"

[anti_nonsense]

"If he takes a bad turn, rushing to the temple probably won't help anyway," Rita says flatly. "We'd do better to keep a low profile and monitor the situation. If they release him, you can locate him again. If they don't..."

She turns her head away, glancing at Strange through the corner of her eye. "...it won't be a situation you can handle alone."

[kingsroads]

This is all awful. Keep a low profile, don't rush the temple, he hates things like that. Strange isn't the sort of person who's good at things like 'sneaking around' and 'being understated.' So he makes a little aggravated noise as he takes a look back at the temple.

"I hate this," Strange grumbles. "How the hell were we supposed to know they use iron in the first place?!"

[scientificist]

"Yeees I'd like to know how many other things were, excluded that we should know about--I'm not sure I would have agreed to come had I known it involved...scarification." He side eyes the brand in his thigh with distaste. "Anyway, I intend to return to the temple later--if all of these societally necessary things are seen as hobbies I see no reason I can't simply become. A healer in addition to the art."

[anti_nonsense]

For once, Rita isn't joining in on the complaining, though she probably will once she gets past the facts that Ignatius is here, he's been jabbed with iron, and now they're all on thin ice.

"You can try, I guess," she says to Herbert. Frankly, if any of them tries to go back into that temple, Herbert would probably be the least likely to blow their cover. The healers already seemed to question Rita and Ignatius' reactions to one another, and Strange is suspiciousness personified... Herbert at least has the excuse of being genuinely interested in medical treatment.

But there's one question still weighing on her mind, so she gives Strange another pointed glance and asks, "Why did that freak want to come here, anyway?"

That freak, of course, is Ignatius. Rita's trying to get into the habit of avoiding names... which is actually not that hard for her, considering her tendency to use insults instead.

[kingsroads]

"I don't know," Strange admits. He does another quick glance around to make certain that nobody's listening before Strange continues talking. He's keeping his voice low, however.

"I thought it might be because he wanted the Mirror, but he made an agreement with the Ringmaster that he wouldn't sabotage our attempts at getting the Mirror. I trust he'll uphold it, so that leaves...what?"

Because now that he's promised not to make a go at the Mirror, Strange also has no idea why Ignatius would want to come here. Change of scenery?

[scientificist]

Now that Strange isn't actively trying to run back to the temple, Herbert sits down, tail curling forward around his feet.

"Information?" he suggests, eyes thoughtfully narrowing. "Some sort of leg up on being released--maybe, he just hates the lake. Maybe. He knows of something else here he's more interested in than the Mirror."

[anti_nonsense]

Rita's eyes narrow, her ears flattening. She doesn't like this one bit.

"If there's any way he can get around that agreement, find some way to escape, mess up our plans... he'd have every reason to do it," she grumbles. "What was the Ringmaster thinking, letting him come with us...?"

With a scoff, Rita takes a step away from the others. "There's nothing to do now but go visit the town, I guess. If either of you learn anything more about this, let me know." She's giving Strange a pointed look once again, as he's the one she suspects would keep any Ignatius-related developments from her.

[kingsroads]

"I suspect she was trying to give him a chance to prove himself," Strange buts in, cutting his eyes at Rita a little bit. She can hate Ignatius all she wants but the fact remains that he's here, it was the Ringmaster's decision, and she can either put up or shut up.

"Like it or not, he's part of the carnival." Being a prisoner counts as part of the carnival in Strange's mind. "Besides, if worst comes to worst, I want him on our side."

[scientificist]

"I-hi doubt it's that easy," Herbert points out, "getting him on our side? You're delusional, Strange, he has no reason to want to help us, not really. We all know what happened." The tip of his tail twitches, and then he stands up again. "Learn some patience and I'll tell you what I find out tomorrow, if you haven't ruined the whole thing by then."

Ignatius will, of course, already be gone by tomorrow but all the same anyway.

[anti_nonsense]

"He'll never be on our side," Rita spits. Her tail is rigid as she turns to face the town and starts walking. There's no point in getting into another one of these arguments, after all.

[kingsroads]

"So you think," Strange simply responds. He also doubts that Ignatius will ever fully be on their side. But if this boils down into a conflict between the carnival and Lilith? He knows what side he wants Ignatius to be on.

He flaps his wings a little before taking to the sky and flying away from the healing temple.

[scientificist]

What a fraught subject. The Ringmaster choosing to allow Ignatius along had better not upset the entire mission. Or at least, it had better upset it in a way that lets them give up on this mirror thing and move on, no harm done. Everyone seems irritable so Herbert stops and has a bit of a cat bath before moving after Rita, back into the city.