⇨ WYLD HUNT

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 100
Where: Shabondamashii
What: The Wyld Hunt unexpectedly crashes the Shabon's dimension, leaving chaos in its wake. Those that have been with the carnival for a while might recognize it as the personal army of a fae called the Huntsman - also known as one of the Ringmaster's age old rivals, whom she dethroned thousands of years ago. The last we heard of him, he was pursuing the carnival, and it turns out he found them faster than anyone thought.
Warnings: Violence, theoretical cannibalism.

THE AUTUMN MOON↴ There isn't any warning. You might not even notice what's happening at first, with the approach of the threat happening as spontaneously as a zombie uprising. You're minding your own business, enjoying Shabon, when a random alien charges you on foot with sudden and aggressive intent. Whether or not you can throw them off or defeat them, you'll soon find they weren't alone. An entire army is descending upon the city now, and the carnival is the target. ► THEY ARE LEGION: The Wyld Hunt comes in all shapes and sizes, with beasts and men from all kinds of different universes having been caught up in its sway. Those that have been in the Hunt for a long while have more or less completely lost themselves - they now function only as part of a pack, hunting whatever the Huntsman wishes and consuming what their prey leaves behind upon death. Some members of the Hunt are newer and more unsure, but they are all a part of a psychic hive mind that compels them to move as a unit. Everyone in the Wyld Hunt instinctively know what the Huntsman wants them to do, even if they never speak to him. Their skills, powers, and physicalities are all over the board, but there are a notably large quantity of Wyld Fae among them, often being used as mounts by more powerful humanoids within the Hunt. When NPCing members of the Hunt for threading purposes there is a lot of flexibility to what you face, including entities and beasts from your own worlds - provided they are creatures capable of functioning independently. ► HUNT OR BE HUNTED: When set upon by the Hunt, it is easy to become overwhelmed. Unfortunately, in that situation, the only way to beat them is to join them. Beginning to hunt alongside the others will immediately pacify them against you. As soon as you start to follow, the thrum of the Huntsman's will will start to take over - the more you hunt, the harder it is to turn away from it. If you do stop, or successfully oppose the compulsion, they will be quick to set upon you again. Like the others, you will feel the craving to consume any individuals the Hunt has felled - you must resist this, because once you have eaten the prey of the Hunt, you'll be trapped within it indefinitely. ► WORN OUT WELCOME: The people of Shabon are used to crisis, but this is a bit beyond what even they are prepared to tolerate. The Hunt will be causing collateral, both of the human and the material sort. While the workers in Shabon have very well practiced escape procedures in the event of something like this, the other guests are not as fortunate. Plenty of them are capable of fighting back on their own, but they will not always be capable of avoiding the hordes. The longer this goes on, the worse it will get. Eventually, the Shabon workers will realize who the Hunt is after and start actively trying to turn carnival members over to them in order to make it stop. ► IN TWO PARTS: Tragically, this turn of events and the realization that she's managed to put everyone in danger once again will be what finally causes the Ringmaster to split in two. One side will immediately become disinterested in using violence to counter this problem, while the other will be desperate and reckless. This will also completely screw her ability to get anyone back to the carnival in time. There will be at least one Megathread dealing with her actions during this. PLEASE NOTE: This is a conflict the carnival is meant to survive, not win. The main point of this is to get the plot rolling in a new direction, so don't worry about figuring out how to defeat the Huntsman, because in this moment it basically won't be possible. Have fun threading out the crisis, and see where it leads. I wanted to be up front about that, as opposed to letting everyone grasp at straws to prevent a result that will be inevitable, even if the details will shift.

Comments

Re: Closed to Egg-Bearers

[drrdrrdrr]

Amethyst, who looks a little scuffed up and has bits of hedge sticking out of her hair, bites her lip.

"So judging by who all you've gotten over here... I'm guessing you think we oughtta give tall hot 'n scaly his firepower back, huh."

[periphrasing]

"I am still compiling data on the matter," Peridot grunts, folding her arms across her chest and tapping her claws uncomfortably. Which is basically just an incredibly stupid way of saying she can't decide what to do. "That's why I wanted to discuss this with the whole group. There's merit to the idea but... I just don't know if that outweighs the risks."

[atouts]

"He was meant to earn his power back," Childermass says sharply. No, he doesn't like the idea. Strange already let slip just what the rest of the plan is, so that doesn't particularly help. "I am aware he has shown some changes of heart towards some few members of the carnival but is it enough?"

[prazerbutterfly]

"It isn't," he chimes from his spot against the wall. He's a mess, disheveled even in these fights for someone of his power, but he doesn't care right now. It's a moment of rest and this sounds like a stupid idea. "Even if it was on the constraint that no one would be going along with his idea, it is still too risky. Not to mention our Lady is still alive, simply in pieces."

[drrdrrdrr]

"I mean..." Amethyst sits back on her tail, propping herself up like a kangaroo. "He probably didn't earn it if we weren't being attacked by the Wyld Hunt, like if we were still just chilling then no way, but we could probably use some of his conflagwhatever right about now. Like, worst case scenario he just leaves, but he'd still have to take care of a bunch of these guys on the way out, right?"

[periphrasing]

Peridot glances between Tyki and Childermass with a bemused expression. "I don't exactly disagree with either of you, but I am wondering what metric you expect him to earn it back by, if gaining the trust of the person who arguably has the most reason to hate him isn't enough?" she says, referring to Rita. "Besides, Amethyst has a point. If you guys have any plans for how to get out of this mess that don't involve Ignatius, then I'm all ears. Right now it seems like we need all the help we can get."

[atouts]

"Has he done that?" Peridot, Peridot, neither Tyki nor himself are aware of what Rita may or may not think. "Because I don't think you mean Strange or Yuya."

[prazerbutterfly]

"Desperation does a lot of things to people, Miss Peridot. I've seen it far too many times in war. You'll excuse me if I have some doubts," he expresses for his own concerns. But still, he has not a clue what she's talking about. Childermass was right... Strange and Yuya were far too easy, "We've barely known him, for what, a month?"

[periphrasing]

Look, how the heck is she supposed to know who already knows what information around here? Things have been pretty chaotic!

"What? No," Peridot replies, twitching her tail in vague annoyance. "I'm not talking about those two clods-- I'm talking about Rita. She was also there when his two halves reunited. She heard his whole plan and made him give his word to help us. And after all that, she still asked Shima and I to do what we could to get his heart back to him." The gem flushes slightly, hunching her shoulders. "I don't know. It just seemed significant to me."

[atouts]

"Rita?" Now, that's a surprise. Childermass frowns, though not in disapproval. Just confusion. Where it is easy to say they've all only known him a month, it's less easy to say that about, well. "...whereas Rita has known Ignatius for an entire lifetime. Why would she put that much faith in him? Surely not out of fear."

[worldlyafflictions]

"I asked her ta do one of those info transfers we were using back in Eden," Shima says, digging into his pocket and returning with a hand-made earring, styled like a sakura flower, holding it up.

"It seems like she's been making an impression on him since he got let out of his cage. I dunno if I completely agree with the deal she wants ta strike either, but ya notice that it already reduces the chances of him just turning on our people without warning, so that's one thing ta think about."

He'll hand the earring over to whoever wants to take a look first. It shows an account of this encounter with Ignatius, how and why he offers to help, the moments when he encounters himself and talks about his desire to see everyone live.

"It ain't all that much compared ta where I was hoping we'd get before we'd be having this talk, but it's enough ta gamble on in a situation like this. Holding on ta his Heart might guarantee he doesn't have the power ta screw us over, but it'd definitely be strangling an opportunity 'n might set some things back."

[drrdrrdrr]

Amethyst... grimaces.

"Really not loving him making a deal with this guy. I was thinking more, like, give him his powers back and he blows a bunch of stuff up, y'know?"

[prazerbutterfly]

He looks down at the object in Shima's hand and pries himself off his seated position, using one arm to hoist himself up. It takes just a moment for him to mull over the information, processing it with a distinct frown/ Ah, that's right. Rita has history with Ignatius.

"Even then that changes hardly anything. I, for one, will not be making any deals with him while our Lady still holds breath, whether he thinks she is bound for death or not." Given his anticipation of the Huntsman intent to slay her. "I understand wanting more firepower, a powerful ally in which to have, but it is a gamble that is just as dangerous as the Huntsman in the long run." Ignatius wasn't loyal with the carnival after all. He was loyal to the Summer Court. Even after any 'deals' passed, Ignatius would remain with heavy firepower, putting everyone at risk.

[atouts]

Childermass holds his hand out for the earring next and considers what Rita's stored away within, brow furrowed. It's a whole lot of ignoring everyone else's chatter for the only two who actually matter in the conversation. Then, he's done, offering the earring out to whoever cares to take it next.

"Hoping the Ringmaster will pull herself back together is just as much a gamble," he says, looking over at Tyki. "The one I met acting as if dying for her crimes would be preferable." Which doesn't bode well. "Ignatius has no reason to offer us help. This... isn't the first time, either."

Which isn't to say Childermass approves of this plan, however—

"He did go after Strange when he was captured in Eden. To rescue him."

[periphrasing]

"To be clear, I'm not at all on board with the whole 'temporarily signing up with him in order to secure protection from the Huntsman' plan," Peridot adds, using the air quotes and everything. "But... I don't think he has any particular ill-will against us. Even the Light side-- the one who wasn't at all interested in fighting for us-- wasn't really hostile to anyone but his Dark half."

And she says that as one of the people who he actively chucked across the room.

[worldlyafflictions]

Some of Shima's soberness drops off some at hearing Childermass's careful admittance. He hadn't heard about that, and it gives him a boost of confidence, not out of knowing that Ignatius did something 'good' so much as the assurance that he's on the right track with his read on his character. He reaches to take the earring back, since Peridot and himself don't need it, but he waggles his eyebrows a little, as if this isn't fucking serious.

"I'm definitely not here ta have any of ya buy in ta Rita-chan's conditions for giving him back his heart--he already said everybody'd have ta sign up for themselves anyway if it's specifically about trying ta talk the Huntsman out of taking us."

"But I am saying with how crazy things are getting--and how crazy it'll probably keep getting, we don't wanna miss a chance ta extend some trust when he asked for it. Cause if we close our fists here, there's a good chance that the next time the Summer Court catches up ta us, what they'll see is someone broken 'n at our mercy, and there's nothing in that situation that works ta our advantage. Him being whole and willing ta help, even just in one instance when the Courts are the reason we're pinned down right now, I think that'll be something that can make more opportunities."

[drrdrrdrr]

"Yeah..." Amethyst chews her lip. "Don't get me wrong, I wanna give the dude a chance. I mean, in my experience, that kinda thing usually works out, and he doesn't seem like... a bad guy?" She elbows Peridot amicably, and cracks a (slightly tired) grin. "You came off way more sinister than he does, let's be real. I'm just not on board for any kind of deal or anything."

[prazerbutterfly]

He grimaces at the idea of having such a thing hovering over the carnival but if anyone has his ear it's Childermass as usual. Not to mention Rita was heavily weighing against his usual determined decisions.

He thumps his head back against the wall, listening to the voices around him with a snort, "Yes, and the other was... just as concerning. The chances of reuniting them before this gets worse is a rather slim one. Especially since not many of us can stay out in the fray for long."

He looks towards Peridot to Shima and then Amethyst as they seem reluctant just as he is to make a deal so risky. That pacifies his mood slightly, "Then it is a gamble we are willing to take? For support and firepower, a token of trust...?"

[atouts]

"No. Not for support or firepower or even protection. For nothing," Childermass says with a shrug. "They're right about it not being honest if we return it with any strings attached. If we agree to do this, if we're agreeing to free him, that's how it must be. Whether the carnival gains from it or not will be up to him. If we aren't willing to take that chance, what's the point?"

[periphrasing]

Peridot flushes at Amethyst's jab, but snickers in a good natured sort of way. "Yeah, well, at least Ignatius has a chance to get back what was taken from him upon capture," she teases, elbowing Amethyst right back. "You know. Because you threw the crucial piece of MY identity at the time into the ocean? Ha! Nostalgia."

That brief moment of levity aside, she sobers up right quick when getting back to the task at hand. "I agree with Childermass. This was never supposed to be about getting something out of Ignatius... At least, I never thought so. We were just supposed to assess when we thought he had proven himself trustworthy enough to have it back, and, talking through this has made me realize that... I think he has."

[drrdrrdrr]

"Haha," says Amethyst awkwardly, her grin kind of freezing. "Yeah, uh... let's give it back."

[atouts]

"However," Childermass moves on to add, raising his hand for a pause after the two gems have spoken up. "Before a third agrees, we should speak with Rita. If she not having any deals beforehand has her changing her mind, this is all for naught."

[prazerbutterfly]

"For nothing," he repeats, staring straight at all of them. Well, whether Ignatius was just as good of a conman as Tyki in keeping his own intentions and natures hidden or not, this was going to be interesting and at least somewhat entertaining to watch.

"Fair enough. Just Rita," he agrees. He would rather leave Strange out of this given he seemed to vote for Ignatius regardless.

[worldlyafflictions]

He holds his hands up, just to show he won't pull the trigger then, so to speak.

"Call 'er up."

[atouts]

And Childermass does just that, picking his radio up off his belt to call her.

"Ms. Mordio," he says into it once he's switched the frequency, "if you would be so good as to join us where we've gathered."