lostcarnival | ⇨ EDEN

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⇨ EDEN

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.

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Syrlya hits the ground, his wings flapping wildly before he rolls over and rights himself. His feathers are puffed out as he sways to his feet and turns to Strange, as incredulous as a bird can be.

"Th--excuse you!" He tucks his wings in close, tone full of irritation. Then he pauses. "No. What happened to the skink?"

Oh, this is Syrlya! Well that's good, maybe Syrlya can help. Or, maybe Syrlya can yell at him. Strange isn't entirely sure how this conversation will go but honestly? He needs all the help he can get.

Strange bounces from foot to foot with nervous energy. "What happened is I can't find him," he admits, lowering his voice slightly. And man, is Strange worried about this. "He was in the healing tent, but he's not there now and I don't know where he is."

"Oh, wonderful." He doesn't even sound disbelieving even though his expression gets as shocked as a bird can get. Who thought bringing him was a good idea anyway?

"Did they say what happened to him? If he was recovered enough to run off on his own? Or..." He waves a wing vaguely. "They were shocked we were taking the branding so poorly."

"Of course they'd be shocked," Strange remarks. Then he pauses for a moment, trying to think of a way to explain this to stave off any eavesdroppers... "Aspects of our arrival were odd to begin with. Did you know animals usually arrive with Lilith? And that they haven't seen anything like how some of us reacted to the brand?"

It's what Strange gleaned from the healers phrased in a question. Hopefully Syrlya would get the implication: they're already in a little bit of shit. But, as for Ignatius, he shakes his head.

"As for the skink, I don't know. I didn't receive much information from the healers, just that he's gone."

Syrlya definitely picks up on the implication that they're already suspicious as shit. This is really going to be an uphill battle.

He glances over his shoulder before leaning over, lifting a wing to allow them some privacy if they're going to have to talk about something this delicate. He keeps his voice very low and hushed. "Have you scryed?"

"Yes," Strange whispers back. "And I can't find him. Whether that's due to his own choosing or external factors, I don't know."

Even with his magic drastically reduced, it wouldn't surprise Strange if Ignatius had enough left in reserves to cast some sort of spell to keep him from being noticed. Though does Ignatius even know he can scry in the first place?

Wouldn't it figure, if they just up and lost Ignatius almost immediately after capturing him, by letting him tag along on a covert and delicate mission that would make searching for him dangerous?

"Flying around in an obvious panic isn't any more effective. If we are already under suspicion, then you should avoid drawing too much attention to yourself." That includes excessively worrying about a lizard he's not supposed to know. "I'll help you look, but you need to stop and think."

Syrlya, when has Strange ever stopped and thought about something before doing anything?

Still, he's in so much of a panic that any advice is good advice. Stop and think. He can do that much. And the moment he stops to think, he realizes just how much attention a mid-air bird collision must have drawn.

"We should probably talk while flying."

"All right." It'll grant them a little more privacy if only to stop higher up, so Syrlya takes a few steps back and flaps his wings to get back up in the air. And then it's up to quite the elevation and he expects Strange to follow.

"What exactly happened when they took him to the healers?"

Strange does follow. It's only when they get to a certain elevation and when Syrlya starts talking that Strange feels comfortable answering the question.

"They were worried—they hadn't seen anything happen like that before. I tried to stay and look after him, but they removed me from the tent."

It's obvious from Strange's tone of voice that even though this isn't his fault, he kind of thinks it's his fault.

"I'm sure they did." He's not surprised, since even at best Strange hovering around is an obstacle to their job. They didn't let just anyone walk in and out of med tents in the Pact, either.

"There was a group of you that left with him, were you all seeking medical treatment fot the branding? What were they doing for him before you left?"

"They left him under this crystal," Strange explains. "But they shooed me out before I could see if the crystal did anything."

He assumes it was a healing crystal since, well, healing tent. But without using his third eye, there's no way that Strange could actually tell what the magic in the crystal was.

Hm... that's something they van easily ask about later, but probably by someone who didn't appear invested in Ignatius's health.

"I see... why was it they ushered you out? Did they do the same to the others who left with you?"

"They did," Strange nods. "And I've no idea why. Perhaps we were in the way? But I'm a bird, I can easily nest somewhere and get out of the other animal's space."

He says, despite the fact that Strange did not get out of the other animals' space in the slightest. He was obnoxious as hell.

Syrlya looks unconvinced. "Why would they want you nesting in their workspace?"

He shakes his head. He supposes it doesn't matter, as long as Strange hasn't been rounded up too. "I hate to say that the best possible explanation is that he left of his own accord and is making an escape... at least then we would be certain they have not discovered worse truths. I will keep a look out, but we have to find him."

"We do," Strange responds as if it's obvious. The idea of Ignatius actually leaving of his own accord and making an escape doesn't sit well with Strange. He doubted Ignatius actually trusted him, but, well...he was the other fae's wizard. You'd think Ignatius would have mentioned that or tried to drag Strange along as well. Of course, if it's not Ignatius escaping then it means Ignatius kidnapped and nope, that's the worst.

"At least they don't know his true nature," Strange muses, almost under his breath. "If it's one of the worse possible explanations, that might be something to use against them."

"Use against them?" Syrlya sounds a little incredulous. "He's not as powerful as he was, that truth seems much more likely to be detrimental to us."

He's not going to assume the Twelve aren't powerful enough to stand up to all of the carnival in their current state, let alone the tiny lizard that might be sick from being branded with iron.

"But he is still what he is." Strange is hesitant to outright say 'but he's still a True Fae', though it's pretty obvious that's what he's talking about. They were fae enough to be burned by the iron, perhaps Ignatius would be fae enough in other regards? Heck if Strange knows what said regards would be, though.

"Anyway, wherever he is, I don't want anyone to connect the dots and figure out his, erm, everything. I need to find him, no matter what."

"That would be best, for all our sakes. If you do find him, let me know--and let me know what happened. I will do the same."

It's about all they can promise right now. Syrlya is beginning to find this a worse and worse idea, but it isn't like they can change their mind about it now. They just have to make sure they make it through. "And do try not to completely blow your cover looking for him."

Strange laughs a little. "I'm stealthier than you would think," he teases. He's going to completely blow his cover but hey, at least he won't get carted off to animal brainwashing camps.

"And thank you for keeping an eye out for him, by the way. I'll need all the help I can get!"

Never mind the fact that Syrlya hasn't really said 'I'll keep an eye out on him' in those terms. Strange is just assuming he will.

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⇨ EDEN

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