lostcarnival | ⇨ EDEN PT. 3

Entry tags:

⇨ EDEN PT. 3

Who: Everyone!
When: End of Day 88, on to Day 89
Where: Eden
What: The carnival breaks into two groups, as one entertains the Architect Samyaza at her festival, and the other assaults the Cathedral through a secret passageway with the intent of claiming the Silver Mirror and liberating those imprisoned.
Warnings: Ritual sacrifices.

IN GOD'S HANDS↴

Only those left in Eden and remaining undetected will be able to come to Samyaza's festival, which is an increasingly small group. It's also a dangerous proposition - there's no way to know what Samyaza has in store for her visitors, only that she apparently wants to interact with them before allowing the other Architects to act. It could work as an excellent distraction, drawing the eyes of the Architects towards the festival instead of towards the Cathedral while the attempt to claim the Mirror is taking place.

For those that arrive in Samyaza's gardens, they are beautiful and well prepared, and music of otherworldly perfection flows through them. Tables are arranged with amazing works of art as their centerpieces, while the trees themselves are made into dazzling displays of color with an effect that seems to turn their leaves into pure light. Samyaza will be presiding, a hare that looks like she's made of something ephemeral, like wind of pure colour. She invites you in kindly, saying that before she speaks, she will honour you with a song...

► THE SET UP: For the first hour or so, the festival will be nothing but celebration. There are other Honorables there, but not as many as usual - the main event are you and the other new arrivals. After the hour mark, Samyaza will perform her song. Until then, threads can be made focusing on the pre-song mingling and planning. Will you listen when she sings?

► THE TWIST: There will be more happening at the festival than Samyaza plans. While she is comfortable waiting to act, other Architects are less patient.

ON HOLY GROUND↴

With carnival members (and Ignatius) in enemy hands, there's no more time for hestitation. Based on the information given to her by various carnies, the Ringmaster will meet with the Furies and declare her intent to attack the Cathedral's underground during Samyaza's festival on the evening of Day 88. The Furies will agree, saying that those they have on the inside will use their influence to ensure there are as few Architects and Scholars are blocking their way as possible, but they must all still expect a fight.

Furies from the base in the barrens will be coming along with this raid group, using what information they have to speed transit through the underground tunnels. They only ask two things - that after the Mirror is collected, it be used to save the lives of Hasma and the other captured Furies, before being used to repair the mind of the Serpent herself.

► THE SET UP: The Ringmaster will lead the way into the secret ruins that Childermass and the other found - the main difference is that she will smash right through the cracked wall defending the depths of the Cathedral, clearing the path entirely with her now serpentine body. Her plan is this - to draw the attention of the Architects to the surface by taking on the appearance if the Serpent, while carnival members and assisting Furies search the tunnels below to find the Mirror and the captives.

► THE TWIST: The people captured by the Twelve and imprisoned in the garden (AKA characters on the TDM) will be found, but the carnival members won't be. At least, not in the same place as the other captives. A megathread will go up for the group that goes to capture the Mirror, but you are free to NPC and thread confrontations will Scholars that are protecting the underground prison and the chambers where the Twelve held their meetings. Please report any Scholars that are killed or seriously harmed to the mods. Lambert will be leading the part of the group heading towards the Mirror, while Sans will head the group searching the tunnels for captives.

Now is the time to let loose and use all your powers. It's probably best to keep your disguise to catch people off guard, but it is no longer necessary. New characters will be directed to post here once accepted.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Holy shit, the worm understands Herbert. Strange looks a little baffled for a moment before he turns his attention to Tadpole Jackson.

"Thank you," he awkwardly replies, with a slight nod to the tadpole that somehow knows English. "But be careful moving Ignatius!" And then, Strange vanishes into the reflection before his vision is impaired via cat mouth.

Strange reappears in that water reflection he found further down in the cave. He isn't even bothering to keep his voice quiet as he yells, "Hello again, whoever you are. I'm back."

Strange arrives to find a big ass tapir nose hanging in his vision, with fancy looking rings decorating its entire length. It smells deeply and then pulls back in surprise when Strange speaks.

"Oh! Oh no. I wasn't expecting this," they say.

Currently standing on Ignatius' chest on top of Tadpole Jackson's back, Herbert feels...honestly very tall. At least he's out of the immediate range of a lot of animals this way. Less good is that the tadpole almost perfectly sought out the absolute worst place to grab Ignatius. He supposes this might prevent further hemorrhaging? Or possibly just somehow magically affix TJ's tail to Ignatius' stomach with rock. This is very aggravating and Herbert wants a proper OR to deal with this in.

Instead, he has sewing supplies and a tadpole. Such is life.

"Continue...forward," he says around the plate, and gestures one paw in a sort of pointing wave over one of the tadpole's bulging eyes. "Through the tunnel." And then he settles down and does his very best to force out a purr again while clinging to Ignatius' robe. There's evidence of a purr's influence on pain control as well and it's really all he has.

Since the tapir is like RIGHT there, Strange should be quiet. In practice, he's using his voice to tell the TJ Express just how close they are to him. So unfortunately for this poor tapir, Strange is still being a bit loud.

"Nobody expects this," Strange shrugs, "and yet here I am. Mind telling me what you're doing in this tunnel?"

Edited 2018-08-11 05:42 (UTC)

"I was waiting to guide someone through here... as per Architect Samyaza's orders," they say a little uncertainly. They scrutinize the puddle.

"...Was that you? She didn't say they'd be in the water."

Strange is willing to take a gamble here. Out of all the Architects, Samyaza was one of the ones who they thought might be sympathetic to the cause. Besides, this tapir isn't immediately freaking out and alerting the authorities about this human in the puddle. That's a good sign.

He shakes his head before he answers her question. "The people who you'll want to guide are one large fire-based man, one large worm, and a small housecat. The fire-based man is badly hurt, so if you can call on any medical assistance, do it now. I've no idea how further down the tunnel they are, but they should be on their way."

"Fire-based man?" the tapir says, sounding preemptively confused and exhausted with the situation. "What's the injury? What's... What's happening up there, exactly?"

And then: "Are you really... Peoples?"

"Some of us are Peoples," Strange explains, matching the tapir's exhaustion. "As for what happened, that Architect who's a bear showed up."

There's an awkward pause before, "I'll gladly tell the whole story later, but I can't really see anything that isn't the ceiling. Would you mind checking to see if the worm's nearby?"

Someday, Tadpole Jackson will get the dignity he deserves. It's not right now.

"Bezaliel?!" the tapir says, clearly alarmed. "Well... I'll call the others, and we'll head up to meet them!" The tapir flees from Strange's sight.

Not too long after, Tadpole Jackson and the others will find themselves running into a small squad of three Honorables, led by a tapir with fancy rings decorating the length of its snout. They stop in time, waving for Jackson to slow down.

"On Architect Samyaza's orders, we're here to escort you to safety!" they say in unison.

Edited 2018-08-11 23:58 (UTC)

"Stop!" Herbert gurns out, plate still in his teeth, which is probably briefly slightly confusing for Samyaza's team before it becomes apparent he's shouting at Tadpole Jackson. He walks carefully along Ignatius to lean forward and look down at the three animals. After a moment of contemplation, he lets the plate down to rest on the rubbery skin of the tadpole's forehead. Hopefully TJ doesn't move around a substantial amount.

"What does that mean in this, context, what 'safety'?" He taps the plate, hoping that somehow, that will get back Strange's attention. "Why would Samyaza want to help us?"

When Herbert and Tadpole Jackson finally approach, Strange moves from the reflection in the puddle on the floor back to the plate. At Herbert's question, Strange shrugs a little.

"The Architects know that the Mirror's fae. I know at least one of them doesn't like the idea of their perfect society depending so much on an imperfect artifact—Samyaza could be the same. And on a personal note, she was one of the ones who seemed the most willing to actually talk with me once I entered the Mirror, instead of going straight to attempted torture."

That doesn't change the fact that he has no idea what the 'safety' these animals are talking about is in the first place. It also doesn't change the fact that Strange's guess is all conjecture, and shaky conjecture at that.

"But think of it this way: what choice do we have?" And he looks over to Ignatius as he says this. No matter what, they need to find someone who can heal him.

"Samyaza obviously wants to help you, that's why she sent us to guide you through the waterfall..." the tapir says, looking absolutely dumbfounded. "If you don't want to come, I guess... you don't have to?"

Though the "fire-based man" does look very dead at the moment.

Herbert looks off vaguely to one side, thinking about the entire situation. There honestly isn't much he can do right now: he and a giant tadpole are the only people physically available and he's currently a cat. Additionally, he guesses this isn't all that much different than walking into a party he was certain would be some kind of trap.

So, he hates it, but Strange is right. What other options do they have? He's done his best with Ignatius but it's not even close to enough. Hopefully, he too has an egg, if they're floating to their doom on the back of Tadpole Jackson.

"Alright," he says, turning to look back down at the animals. "We'll come with you-- even if you won't tell us where we're going." Picking up the plate again with his paws he tucks it just into the neckline of Ignatius' robe before jumping down off him and TJ both. He imagines Strange can look through alternate surfaces if he wants a better idea of what's happening. He's honestly sick of tasting the metal of that plate. "Follow me," he adds, looking back at the tadpole. He hopes the seven year old, by some miracle, was correct in her judgement.

And now Strange has an awkward view of Ignatius's bleeding body. Great! This feels great! This sure isn't helping that self-esteem whammy he got in the shadows!

"Can we hurry?" he grumbles. "We've got someone critically injured, in case you've all forgotten."

Ignatius is basically unmoving at this point, though there are still faint motions of breathing. It's real bad, and slowly getting worse. The stress he just experienced from going through the shadow has probably pushed him over the edge.

Thankfully, the three Honorables hear that and get right to it. They don't know much about what's going on, but they know that Samyaza told them to do this, so...

"ONWARD!" the tapir declares, and the three of them charge off down the tunnel without further commentary.

As soon as the Honorables charge off, Herbert starts running as well, with TJ speeding behind them all. His stamina is honestly fairly good, although not as good as it might be had he had the chance to continue injecting his reagent this entire mission. His own reserves will have to do. At least he seems to be more agile and efficient as a cat.

"I certainly hope someone is capable of handling metal wherever we're running off to--the shackles are poisonous to all of us but they seem to be..." Herbert pauses to catch his breath and contemplate his phrasing. "...actively caustic to our, patient, up there."

"There should be," Strange points out, all of his focus still on Ignatius. "Iron is only caustic to the fae and beings with fae influence."

Aka them. "The more fae someone is, the worse the iron treats them."

Edited 2018-08-12 14:24 (UTC)

One of the Honorables squeaks something unintelligible at their information, but otherwise, the pack just keeps moving. They run for about two minutes, at which point the tunnels start splitting down multiple paths - they take the route to the left, and then the furthest right.

"Over here," the tapir says, standing on an oddly flat and distinct surface of stone. Once Jackson catches up, the rock will lift from the group, hovering with some unseen energy, and shoot them off down the tunnel. The walls speed past, the occasional light blinking by, until finally, it begins to slow. Once it's stopped, the tapir draws a sigil onto the wall, which opens up and reveals a separate area inside.

It's another beautiful garden area, but there are tables and shelves with tools and equipment on them - a crafting area. A large hamster in the group points at Ignatius and then points at the table, saying something in a squeaky voice.

"He says to put the fire man over there," the tapir explains, helpfully.

Strange is lucky that Ignatius' chin is in the way to keep the plate in place, or when they get on the tunnel rock Metro it might have shot off somewhere, leaving Strange to poke around for a new reflective option. Herbert just lies down in the form of a cat bun as they travel, unwilling to test whatever is keeping them aboard by moving more than necessary.

It's a relief to get out of the darker areas. Herbert usually rather likes dark, enclosed areas but it was feeling like a bit much after that nonsense with the shadow barrier. Unfolding to his feet, he looks at the rubbery mass of Tadpole Jackson (who was presumably plomped down on the platform? who knows how he functions) and repeats the order for the third time, just in case.

"Put him down on that table." (He wishes he knew why he doesn't understand the hamster. It all seems very Disney to him.) When TJ does so, he follows over, jumping up to extract the plate again and keep it supported vertically with a paw. With any luck, this will preempt some of Strange's complaining.

While getting set down by TJ isn't much better than being picked up was, Ignatius doesn't have it in him to react. He just slides onto the table limply, his eyes shut tight and his expression strained, breaths coming in weakly. Meanwhile, the three Honorables are rummaging through shelves and boxes, collecting tools.

Not long after, the hamster Honorable leaps up onto the table with several large and threatening looking blades and a hacksaw in hand, brandishing them with an excited shriek. He bounces to a spot on the table next to Ignatius's shoulder, examining each blade in kind and more closely examining the collar. One by one he rejects each blade and saw, tossing them aside carelessly.

Finally, he pulls the tiniest knife off of his belt and holds it up appraisingly. Squeaking something so fast and high pitched it's impossible to make out, he flicks his finger against the blade, sending it vibrating, the edge of the blade growing red hot as the sound builds. Grinning, the hamster goes to work.

With dexterous hands, the hamster uses the tiny knife to slit through the metal binding Ignatius's throat - one cut on one side, and then a second cut on the other. It doesn't take long at all, compared to the suspense leading up to it. As soon as the cuts are done, the hamster breaks off the upper half of the collar, lifting it up triumphantly and squealing. The tapir looks ecstatic.

"He says that it's a good thing that it wasn't anything tougher than iron - iron like this is easy to cut!" the tapir explains. The hamster pulls away the bottom piece of the collar and then tosses it away, bounding over to start cutting up the shackles with similar ease. Soon, he's knocking the remains of the leg shackles onto the floor, the chain clattering as it goes.

Strange is just watching intently, downright staring at the little hamster as he works. He wants to talk and wants to just ~~mansplain~~ suggest to the hamster what to do, but he's so tense and so nervous that he just keeps his mouth shut and bites down on his tongue instead. He's watching with baited breath as he watches the hamster pick out a knife and slice through each of the iron bonds that are holding Ignatius.

"Oh thank God," he murmurs, letting out the deep breath he didn't even know he was holding in. He turns to the hamster and with complete sincerity, nods and says, "Thank you. And if there's anything I can do to help repay you, please let me know." There's a pause before he asks, "Are you a doctor as well or can someone else take care of the bleeding?"

Unlike Herbert, it doesn't bother Strange in the slightest that the hamster can't speak people and that he's talking to a literal hamster to begin with.

The hamster just flexes, gracefully sheathing his knife with an unnecessary flourish. As for the question about being a doctor, though...

"Hamon is only... a gadgeteer, as you might put it," the tapir explains. Hamon shrieks indignantly at that 'only'. "None of us are healers, only crafters. Adona could probably sew that wound closed, but her expertise comes from fabrics..."

Hamon jumps off the table, coming back only a few moments later with a stapler. He holds it up enthusiastically.

"Nnno, don't do that--we don't even know what those staples are made of," says Herbert, halfway joking. He's been absorbed with keeping the plate in place, and watching Hamon's work to be sure he doesn't cut through into Ignatius. Leaning, he ducks his nose in front of the plate, flatly staring. "Strange, you're aware I'm a doctor." Which means this must be sass. Uncalled for. He puts the plate facing down on the table so Strange will have to look out the other reflective side if he wants to keep attending, and looks back at Hamon.

"Are...all of your tools in some way iron-based? I could do with a sharp knife or a. Sharpened spoon if you have any alternate metals, and proper bandages, of course--clean fabric. Iiii don't want that injury stitched up yet: I'm fairly certain iron influence is the equivalent to infection in fae. It will just. Fester. Inside him. Actually a syringe of some sort could possibly help, flush out the wound, if that is how injuries work in the fae." He turns back to frown at Ignatius. At least there's only the one, really bad gash to be dealt with.

Edited 2018-08-13 02:32 (UTC)

Strange opens his mouth, like he's about to remind Herbert that he's a doctor who currently has cat paws, that might make this whole stitching Ignatius up thing go a bit less smoothly, before he gets a lovely view of the inside of the table. Jerk. A few seconds pass before he pops back up on the other reflective side and...gets a lovely view of the ceiling.

He's really getting sick of being stuck inside this Mirror.

"Hamon? Would you mind propping me up again?" No matter if the hamster does or doesn't, Strange is going to offer his own attempt at medical advice. "If you have any, gloves would be a good idea as well. I don't think shedding in an open wound is a good idea."

"I have fabrics!" the goat, ostensibly named Adona, says, and trots off to go find some. Hamon puts his hands to his face to ponder what Herbert is saying, and then shakes his head. He squeaks something, and when Herbert doesn't immediately respond, the tapir translates:

"He says none of these are iron. The staples might be, but Hamon prefers to work with stronger stuff."

Hamon takes out the knife from his belt again and flicks it, showing Herbert as it vibrates itself into becoming hot, somehow, like a tuning fork but sharper. Then Strange speaks up again and Hamon turns to look at him, before making a slightly annoyed sound and coming over to cut a couple slits into the edge of the plate, bending back a strip of metal to serve as a makeshift stand.

Hamon sets up the plat like a picture frame and then looks back to Herbert, squeaking a bunch of things at rapid speed.

"Um... I'm not sure what he's saying now," the tapir says. "He's a bit... excited."

Edited 2018-08-13 02:42 (UTC)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject