lostcarnival | ⇨ EDEN PT. 3

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⇨ 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

Things look passive for now and Tyki is fine with that. If it comes down to anything more, his guard isn't lowered completely. Either way he watches the developments and nods in agreement to Zangetsu's words even if it isn't really seen. There's no time for petty words or bickering about why this or that wasn't done. That could always come later.

He watches the others revel himself and when his own veil is dropped by Syrlya, he takes just one step up into the air a little higher and looks upwards. "Be prepared so I don't drop you," he tells Lambert, half joking, half serious. He could always hop back on after. Tyki simply doesn't want to be rude.

But like the others, he'll look up at the mirror, questioning exactly what he sees. He's always wearing a glamour and he's done well to hide his true appearance for a while now. He hasn't seen it in a long time, either in a mirror, nor his own reflection. Either way, he wills himself into his refection like the others.

So finding how to release everything the Mirror's taken from people might be the first on the to-do list but... Would the Ringmaster even know how to do that?

A question Childermass keeps to himself if only because he's hopping off of Rita's shoulder and releasing his crow form mid-flap to become a dog again. He lands with paws on the floor, not talons, and likewise follows Alga's directions. Looking up, willing himself to join the reflection above him. He wants to be up there, not down here.

All signs point to 'go see Saraqael', so at Agla's beckoning, Rita also looks up.

"Looks like it's safe now," she tells the others. She didn't exactly tell them the webs were there in the first place (it was hard to tell, with how much magic was already in the ceiling itself), but Rita figures some might have suspected a trap was laid in their way.

With that, she gives Childermass a glance (though he seems to already be on his way), focuses on her own reflection, and vanishes with the others.

Easy enough. This was actually quite similar to the way he possessed Ichigo, watching his battles in the reflections in the glass of the sideways cities. Waiting for the moment their eyes meet.

Zangetsu climbs into the air so he can be close to the reflective ceiling, staring his own reflection in the eyes. Me. That's me over there. I need to be over there.

And just like that, he is.

But his guard is far from down. In case it's some sort of trick, he has his hand on the hilt of his blade, hanging from his back as usual.

Through Zan's contribution, Peridot doesn't stop scowling critically at Penemue. It's not that she couldn't hazard an educated guess at what what the architects reasons for inaction were; she's just of the opinion that they're bad reasons, considering the Furies were actually out there trying to do something about Lilith.

Either way, she keeps her mouth shut for now, and looks up at the reflection as directed. It takes her a moment to wrap her head around the trick, but she joins everyone upstairs a few moments later.

Everyone who travels through the ceiling will find themselves in a new place, with a reflective floor and shadowy corners. There isn't a lot in here, comparatively, but that's okay. The main event takes up most of your attention.

The Silver Mirror sits at the far center of the room, with two silver trees growing around it. Each tree blossoms with flame and is heavy with shimmering, purplish fruit. As Strange described, it is about ten feet tall, and the trees grow straight from the Mirror's base.

A wolf stands before it, dark fur filled with starlight. He waits patiently.

"So... you convinced them. Good."

Well that was a neat way to travel, from one point to another, but he's experienced that kind of thing before. He takes a brief look around, gathering in the way the floor reflects and shadows linger all around them. It doesn't make him wary, too comfortable with this type of situation to feel unnerved. At least it paints a perfect scene, like a climax before a final battle, the other weighing every action thus far.

Similar to the branding, he's one of the first to step forward once arriving mostly allow room for others in case they converge in the same spot. He raises a hand in greeting towards the Architect, the one who named him, in front of the mirror, "Good evening."

If anything, he's polite.

Zangetsu, in contrast to Tyki, ignores the giant space wolf for the time being and approaches the mirror from behind, as to not have to worry about seeing his reflection and getting messed up by an extremely powerful fae artifact.

"Huh. That's inconvenient... The drawing didn't have these trees."

Syrlya takes a room in, finding... at least only Saraqael openly. He takes tentative steps to the mirror, circling around the side to inspect the tree with the fruits growing off of it.

"They must be the Fruit of Knowledge and Flames of Inspiration. I'm sure that is Lilith's touch." He pause, before reaching for one of the fruits.

He looks sideways to Saraqael. "So, you were already convinced the mirror needs to be removed?"

Once they're through, Lambert stands on his own feet ... which remain paws, for the moment. He'll take the opportunity to step forward, tail curling warily, as his eyes focus on Saraquel with a cocked head.

He isn't surprised about the trees, because Strange had told him as much, but he's interested in observing it externally -- and more to the point, seeing if the trees actually root the Mirror into the ground, or merely grow off it.

He also hisses, cat-like, when Syrlya reaches for one of the fruits, only to look annoyed at himself for making the sound. Maybe he should have asked to be changed back sooner.

"More that I was convinced that Lilith could no longer be the leader of Eden," he says, casually. "Though, removing the Mirror seems like a good first step. Provided we can be otherwise spared from her wrath..."

His eyes narrow slightly, observing the group, specifically Peridot.

"Which was implied to be part of the offer."

"Oh don't worry about that too much. I'm sure the Ringmaster will eat her."

Seems like a lot more than just two of the Architects were sick of Lilith's shit. But it makes sense that they didn't all show their hands.

Speaking of eating...

Zangetsu pokes one of the fruits.

"Can I have one of these?"

Syrlya still doesn't move to pull the fruit off, through he's holding it as he gives Lambert a bewildered expression. "Did--you just hiss at me?"

He frowns, not sure how to take that, but Saraqael continuing on distracts him. Ah, so he's one of the Architects working with the Furies.

"Of course. Are--" Hm, well, eating is an option but maybe they are no more inclined to just murder Lilith? "You know her better than we do. How do you anticipate her to retaliate?"

From the instant Peridot arrives in the room, her attention has been pulled this way and that in rapid succession: First she can't take her eyes off the wolf and the mirror, then she has to stop and give Lambert a weird look because what the hell was that noise-- and then she feels Saraqael's eyes on her, and she whirls back to face him, looking slightly alarmed.

The bat briefly glows a blinding white-green, and warps back into regular old Peridot, that same surprised expression still on her face. Fortunately, Syr speaks up before she has the chance to stammer over herself, thanks to feeling put on the spot.

"We don't want Lilith raining wrath on anyone," Papyrus agrees, circling the room to look at the mirror. "If we take the mirror, and don't do anything about her... Well."

He's not actually sure what Lilith would do, but hopefully Saraqael will tell them.

"Should we call the Ringmaster now? So she can hear a little more what Lilith can do, and plan." If she doesn't have one of the radios, they could try calling Strange. He's supposed to be in this mirror, anyway.

Upon entering the new space, Rita's gaze is immediately drawn to the Mirror, her eyes practically sparkling at the magic artifact that's nearly within arm's reach. If it weren't for that wolf, she'd probably run right up to it to perform an analysis. Alas.

She gives the wolf a long, wary look (nothing personal, Saraqael, but she's never been much of a dog person), but her expression eases into something less apprehensive as he speaks to them.

"I see... so you were one of those allies we heard about," Rita muses, folding her arms. "Well... as big of a hassle as it is, I'd prefer this kind of arrangement over sneaking around like a common thief. I don't really want to see this place ruined, either."

"Well, in the past she can cast out all who displeased her and ripped their minds from their souls, leaving them to suffer, undying but forever starving," Saraqael says, as if shrugging. "Who's to say how she'll react if we manage to do something that makes her even angrier."

He gestures at the fruit with a paw.

"You can take one if you want, but I believe the applications are limited... mostly they are for granting sapience to otherwise wild creatures. If you are already sapient, there is much less to gain."

"Can we please focus on the fae artifact, and not food?" Lambert asks, testily, directed at Syrlya and Zangetsu and anyone else eyeing up the fruit. He'll look to the wolf, head cocked as he listens to his answer. After all this time their intentions have spent being tested, they know precious little about the Architect's own desires besides being apparently too scared shitless of Lilith to risk their own lives. It doesn't leave a favorable impression on Lambert overall -- they're less like allies and more like mercenaries, and equally disposable from the Architect's perspective.

"We need to know anything you can tell us about Lilith," he frowns. "We know she's a Nephalem. We know she was using you to try and make a..." What was the phrasing from the book, exactly? "...'a being whose Light would cast no Shadow.' And it wasn't working." Obviously.

"We could help you and other Honorables you care to take with you escape from Eden. If that's what you want." His tail lashes. "But if you want more than that..." He'll trail off there and let someone else answer Papyrus' question, or let him decide for himself, since he's more intent on the wolf now.

Well that's... worse than actually just being turned into a wild animal in a desolate again. "And there are those of you who have already openly betrayed her," he muses to himself. Even if the blame is kept off the Twelve, there are already open Furies who will likely be smited.

He draws his hand back and turns to Saraqael properly. "Can Eden sustain itself without Lilith's existence? Or would be better if your people were to find a new home?"

Lambert, after all, has already offered that as a possibility. If it's their best choice, that's almost the easiest solution.

These common thieves provide you fresh food and the supplies one needs for her research, Rita. Though Tyki's never considered himself a thief as much as he's considered himself a conman who gets others to cheat themselves. But he doesn't comment as things are more interesting right now. For example, everyone trying to take a piece of that fruit catches his interest. Maybe he himself could bum one off of Zangetsu, though the monster of a man was likely to wolf it all down on his own.

Tyki personally would enjoy never starving again after previous events, and he looks towards Rita who seems to want to move closer to the mirror. Tyki himself doesn't hesitate and walks forward now that everyone seems to have permission to roam as they wish. He'll watch towards the Architect and then beside him, trying not to stand in front of the mirror directly himself, but wanting a closer look at the trees winding around it. He's not stupid enough to touch it, look directly at it, or get too close to the front.

"Given the fact the Honorables would be fine as long as they do not dwindle their own numbers, they would not need Lilith to bring them a fresh batch of animals at least. With her out of the picture, their society could flourish, or ruin itself. If he believes she shouldn't be the leader any longer, then likely setting in someone else to keep him sustained has likely already crossed their minds." The Serpent for example along with what Architects they could salvage. It was their choice either way. The true matter was how the carnival played into helping them.

"There's no way to know if Eden would hold up without the Mirror or Lilith's influence," Saraqael says. "...So my strategy is to assume that it won't. If those willing could be relocated elsewhere, somewhere they could thrive, then that's all I would ask of you."

"My other fear would be that without Eden's power, we would once again be forced to eat in ways appropriate to our biology, and that creatures like myself will be compelled to sustain ourselves with the meat of other animals. It would no doubt cause conflict, regardless of the source."

He turns to glance at the mirror.

"Beyond that, I will have no regrets, leaving this place behind..."

Rita’s gaze falls, a conflicted look on her face. As eager as she is to study that mirror, she doesn’t want these animals to lose the peaceful lives they’ve been living until now... even if that may be inevitable.

“The Fruit and Flame... how do they relate to the Mirror? Can you and the other Beasts continue using them if we separate them from the Mirror, and Eden?”

Rita draws a little closer, looking over the artifact and its surrounding trees. “And... if we’re going to take the Mirror, I’d appreciate if you or one of your peers shared what you know about it, and how to use it. We don’t want to screw around with it carelessly.”

“Then I think we have a bargain.” The only question, of course, is seeing it through. He’ll let Rita take the lead on questioning Saraqael about the mirror’s properties, then turns to Papyrus, his decision made.

“Try to contact the Ringmaster.” Hopefully she did bring a radio with her, or if she took a Fury with her, hopefully they’re paying attention to it.

“And you,” he adds, looking at Zangetsu with a frown. “You asked for a mirror, didn’t you? See if you can call Strange. Mark four points on the surface and try to get his attention.” Yeah yeah, there’s a big mirror they could call Strange in right there, but does anyone want the murder ghost to touch it? Probably not.

Orders dispensed, he’ll turn back to the wolf. “Some of us have been captured by the other architects. Others are trying to save them now—” Blissfully, he has yet to find out how that plan didn’t turn out as expected. “—but it goes without saying, if they can be retrieved faster we can concentrate more on getting the rest of you out.”

"Of course," Saraqael says to Lambert, nodding his head. "Once the Mirror is out of Lilith's reach, there will be enough confusion to allow us to reroute our efforts towards handling the other Architects. This includes releasing their captives."

Then, he looks at Rita.

"As for the trees, we've never seen them be anywhere else. But that isn't to say it's not possible. They are their own entities outside of the mirror. Araqiel has said as much."

"Ha! I don't actually care if it does anything -- they just look tasty and I'm hungry."

He's always hungry.

Zangetsu carefully plucks one of the fruits from the tree and proceeds to put the whole thing in his mouth. It tastes as good as it looks! Oh god, there's a giant pit in it, though. He spits it out and looks at it. The pit itself is kind of pretty! ... In his pocket it goes. Pocket pit. As does another fruit. Snack for the road.

And then Lambert is talking to him. He looks at his (other) boss with some bright purple juice running out of his mouth and his cheeks full of magical smart fruit.

"Mmmf? Mmmhmmph!"

He swallows the fruit, and digs in the other pocket, pulling out a hand mirror. He uses some of the purple juice on his chin to mark the mirror as instructed. Then he shakes the mirror, as if that will help.

"HEY STRANGE!"

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