lostcarnival | ⇨ 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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.

⇨ EDEN

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