⇨ EDEN PT. 2

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 86 - Day 88
Where: Eden
What: The Furies of Eden have been found and have agreed to ally with the carnival to achieve their mutual goals. Meanwhile, tensions in the city only get thicker. How much longer until everyone's cover is blown for good?
Warnings: Increasingly high chances of ritual sacrifices.

FRUIT OF KNOWLEDGE↴ Progresses has been made, but obstacles are approaching. As various characters fall under suspicion for their unusual natures the threat of backlash from the community of Honorables and Architects grows imminent. Several carnival members have fled to the Barrens, allying with the Furies of Eden, a rebel group bent on defying Lilith and taking Eden for themselves. Meanwhile, those still in the city are left with the aftermath. Information is still being cycled between the two groups, via various super powers and delivery methods. Sans has been freed from the control of his Architect and has left to find the rebels, but his delivery service is still being used to disperse information. You can assume to have been told about anything on this spreadsheet that's been addressed to the entire mailing list. ► TENSIONS GROW: As the days go on, the attitude of long term residents have only grown more suspicious and hostile. Several members of the new arrivals have gone missing, and it seems as if the locals are starting to suspect these absences are intentional rather than accidental. Some of the most ornery of them will say things that suggest that they think they've run off to join the heretics, but they will be hushed by those near them. However, no immediately violence is being imposed on people from the carnival's entry group. Not that you've seen, anyway. ► SAMYAZA'S INVITATION: Displeased by the atmosphere being created by all this distrust, Samyaza the Hare, Architect of Festivities and Music, has invited all of the remaining new arrivals to an exclusive garden party of hers. Everyone who is still in the city will be invited to attend, along with some choice members of the native population. The actual party will be happening on Day 88. Attendance is strongly recommended by the other Honorables. The nature of this even will depend on what occurs before it, and will be covered in more detail later in the log. The invitations go out on Day 86. ► HERESY UNVEILED: On the evening of Day 86, the city of Eden is alight with controversy - a band of Furies have been found! Hasma of Araqiel (the horse featured in Missing posters last week) has been caught within city borders, along with two Honorables of Eden who had been secretly colluding with her. The three condemned Furies have been bound and chained in cages in a public areas of the city, awaiting trial and punishment. It's a similar tone to criminals being locked in stockades for the civilians to mock, though the initial city mood seems more uncomfortable and nervous than angry. There is a horse, squirrel, and border collie currently imprisoned. ► RINGMASTER'S RETURN: On Day 87, the Ringmaster will be returning from her investigation. Specifically, she'll be arriving at the doorstep of the Furies in the Barrens, and will be entering to visit her associates within. Apparently, she's been spending all this time searching the barrens for entrances into the core of Eden, as well as trying to communicate with the Serpent. Neither have yielded major successes, however. Carnival members at the Furies base can ask interact with her through investigations.

Comments

Day 86 or early 87 [Closed to Sans ... and the rabid guys of the serpent tunnels]

[spaghettimonster]

After Rita and 9S helped un-brainwash Sans, it didn't take long for the skeleton brothers to leave the city. With Sans worrying that they'd been compromised, they would have needed to lay low at the very least... But with the chance Papyrus would be on Architect Armaros' list, they had to leave; a beetle might hide for a while, but a saber tooth is too large to hide for long.

And the scenery of the barrens isn't an improvement. With no greenery or artistry out here, the sand and stone blur together into a mosaic of browns to Papyrus' eyes. Nothing to see, nothing to do but walk and talk. At least they're still themselves in mind and spirit, and not alone. There's not a whole lot of upsides past that.

"Thank goodness we don't need to eat," Papyrus says, scrounging for positives as he plods along and squints in the light. "That would be a lot more challenging! But... It's still hot, and I'm tired. Do you see anywhere we could take a break?"

[osteothropy]

Sans feels like an asshole on account of his mostly been sitting on Papyrus's shoulders this whole time, and so has Helvetica. Sure, he's been teleporting everyone around a lot, but that's not quite as visceral. Also, it's basically his fault they're out here in the first place.

"We could try one of these tunnels," he says. "Then if you wanna sleep, at least there won't be anyone flying overhead."

"Subterranean areas are statistically cooler in temperature, also," Helvetica adds. "Hotland notwithstanding."

[spaghettimonster]

It's been just the three of them for most of this adventure, as this place is no place for a goose. With Sans all down on himself, and Helvetica all dry accuracy, Papyrus figures it's up to him to be the voice of positivity here. Sistina might come out later, once things settle down, and they're somewhere that Papyrus can pretend there's less validity to her anxiety. Like back at the carnival. Or in the rebel base.

"There's caves?" Even before his brother answers, Papyrus changes direction towards one of the shadowy areas, figuring that's likely one of the tunnels. "That's a good idea. A little home away from home... I like the sun, but sometimes it needs to go somewhere else."

[osteothropy]

Sans snickers appreciatively - the sun is a fun spectacle at all, but it definitely does have its downsides.

"Yeah, I hear in a lot of places, the sun can seem like more trouble than its worth," Sans says. He's trying to keep his tone relatively casual, but its hard to totally conceal the familiar sound of him being weary with himself. "I never really got it before, but I guess being in the desert makes you see things in a different light."

Helvetica waits to see if Sans is going to explain the actually pertinent information, and when he makes a pun instead she says it herself.

"There are tunnels, yes. We've spotted a few on our way. It's about time we took a look. It would make more sense for any rebel bases to be beneath the surface, anyway."

[spaghettimonster]

Papyrus huffs and shakes his head at the pun, but doesn't quite laugh. He's more on edge than he wants to admit, too, and the humor's falling a little flat right now.

"It stands to reason," he agrees with Hel instead. "As a brand new rebel, I want our bases under the surface. Shade, hiding from birds, cozy crevices, maybe even - Oh, that is a tunnel."

The shadowy tunnel ahead doesn't look much like anything from their underground. It's not quite a mined path for the sake of easy travel, walls clean and vertical... but there's something artificial about it. Too regular in size, too rounded.

[osteothropy]

Darnit. Well, he tries.

"Hey, hold up a minute. I'm gunna scout ahead," Sans says, and then disappears. Helvetica waits on Papyrus's back as her other half travels about 15-20 feet into the tunnel, before quickly returning.

"Don't see anything funny down there," he says. "Almost looks like a burrow hole..."

[spaghettimonster]

Life on the run can't all be pun and games, brother. Even if that is a lot more comfortable than feeling guilty about their mistakes in getting caught.

Papyrus glances up and back at Helvetica, a half-formed question on the tip of his tongue, but Sans returns before he can be sneaky about asking behind his brother's back. Instead he hrmms and continues approaching it.

"If it's burrowed... somebody lives here," he reasons. "And digging in stone takes work. It's probably the rebels!"

[osteothropy]

"Yep," Sans agrees, trying to sound confident in that much. He wants to make Papyrus feel like he at least sort of knows what to do, even if this is all kind of a shock. "We can take a little tour in the meantime and see if we can find a place to catch some z's."

"With how many tunnels there are..." Helvetica muses. "Perhaps some sort of travel network?"

[spaghettimonster]

Happily, he's succeeded. There's a little extra bounce in Papyrus' step as he steps into the tunnel. After all, the path ahead of them is now comfortingly clear: walk in that hole, find a place to settle down, and take a nap. Figure out what comes later.. later.

"It seems so easy to find... Almost too easy." He considers the carved stone, glancing around for signs of something awry. "They must have traps, or puzzles, or... or decoy tunnels. Something helping them not get caught yet."

[osteothropy]

"I guess if there's enough of 'em, it kind of becomes its own puzzle. Like a labyrinth, right?" Sans comments as they travel down into the dark. As soon as visibility gets too difficult, he opens his shell and gets his wings to start projecting a golden light.

"So, I guess that's decoy tunnels. Not a bad place to hang out, though." If you are used to living in caves, anyway.

They travel for a while, until they find an area off to the side of the tunnel path that seems open enough to set something up. They have no supplies from the city, but Sans has some things from his pocket inventory.

"Wanna try making a fire, or should we lay low?" he asks, conversationally.

[spaghettimonster]

Labyrinths, some really classic monster puzzle stuff. You can't beat the classics in some things. No need
for electricity, maintenance is basically nothing - maybe sweep the paths so people can't use dusty footprints to get around - and academics wonder if there's a minotaur around. Good stuff.

The walk goes smoothly enough, with just one mild overlooked problem. With Sans as their source light, riding behind Papyrus' head, occasionally a feline shadow casts on the walls of head of them. He jolts slightly each time, trying to play it cool... But by the time they stop, he's figured out how to anticipate where it'll appear, and it no longer startles him.

"Magic fire, or smokey fire...?" Papyrus asks in reply, wrinkling his nose at the idea of smoke. "The crackling company of a fire would be nice... as long as it doesn't stink up too much."

[osteothropy]

"Uh... I've never really been a magic fire kinda guy, but I have left over firewood from the camping trip." Well, he sort of breathes magic fire in his boss monster mode, but its really just raw energy, isn't it?

Sans flutters off of Papyrus's head and land on the ground. A few moments later, some lumps of wood fall out of a hole in space.

"I can probably start it up myself, though," he says, and then there's a pause. "Y'know... not having hands is really starting to bug me."

[spaghettimonster]

Yeah, it's probably just raw energy? But Sans has so many magic powers by now, magic fire could be on the list, it wouldn't be a surprise.

Papyrus settles down to watch the fire-making process, finally relaxing enough to snort a laugh at the pun. He's not clear how much of Sans' punning right now is deflecting unhappiness and how much is actual good humor. It's always a mix, though the ratio varies.

After a few seconds, he asks, "why do you keep being bugs? Being boneless... It felt so unsettling. Better with an exoskeleton," he admits with a glance back at Helvetica, "but still strange."

[osteothropy]

"Guess it's my spirit animal," Sans says, conjuring a few bolts of magic to shoot the wood with, searing it and causing it to smolder. "Kinda fits. Y'know. Small. Crunchy."

"We also tend to inspire horror and disgust in those unfamiliar with us," Helvetica points out, helpfully.

Sans shoots a few more bolts of magic, and the wood starts burning. Sans pauses, and then looks up at Papyrus.

"Hey, bro, can you blow on this? Turns out that's not really something I can do."

[spaghettimonster]

He scrunches his nose at 'crunchy,' because.... ew? Is Sans implying something's going to eat him? Not the time or place! But then Helvetica starts adding to the terrible jokes, showing that they must actually be in a good mood... and Papyrus relaxes a little more.

"You're both terrible, and I can't argue with a word of that," he finally decides, a smile in his voice. "Just to stoke the flames?"

With confirmation, he leans forward to help with the fire. It's the woodiest birthday cake, granting the wish of warmth and light.