⇨ 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

Mobile sent it early :[

[betheman]

There won't be any need to tell him twice. Ignoring the burn against him, Gongenzaka rushes through with Yuuya immediately, collapsing some feet on the otherside into the temple. He gasps, and he chokes, yet all he can think to do is prod Yuuya through his bond to ask how he feels. ...Even if his own pain radiates with it.

Of course, seconds after.. "S...Syrlya..." He rasps, coughing. "Syrlya...are you?" He, at least, is more flesh internally than plant.

But Syrlya...

[bestialpursuit]

The mist blows back, then re-coalesces like an angry bee swarm, readying itself for another attack. She's furious, seeing Gon and Yuya disappear through, and so she directs her attack towards the last target left -- Syrlya.

As the mist rushes to him, he'll catch a glimpse of her angry, pale visage in the haze, coalescing into a form about ready to tackle him.

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya doesn't follow immediately. He braces himself, and as she comes forward after Gongenzaka disappears he cuts the connection. The exit disappears in a second, before anyone can follow them through.

He's not sure if the face is his own imagination or her form, but he returns it with a faint smirk off his own. Just as she seemingly surrounds him, there's a flash and he's gone.

Back in the temple, he stumbles and coughs as he reappears in its walls near Gon, pressing his fist to his chest. Whatever poison got him is still slowly corroding--he needs to get it off.

He waves his hand. "I'll--be fine." He glances aside, taking the two of them in. "Herbert is dead, but--perhaps Steven can help. Or Yukio."

[betheman]

"...Yukio, I do not know the location of," he mutters, frowning. Maybe he's in here? Hmm. "...Steven, however..."

Gongenzaka looks over Yuuya for a moment, gently closing the boy's eyes over. "...let us not dry out your eyes, Yuuya," he says softly, before continuing the train of thought with Syrlya.

"...Steven is maintaining the barrier here, is he not? ....I, the man Gongenzaka, cannot be certain he could afford to help..." He sighs, and grimaces as he looks over his back...what few belongings he had stored with him slowly tumbling through the rotting leaves and wood. The pokeball in particular crashes to the ground, Suzu stumbling out with a 'wff'.

At least she catches the glass bottle of healing draught from there.

"...I, the man Gongenzaka, almost wonder if what Yuuya spoke to me about regarding Ignatius will be our best hope..." Ahh, but regardless. He eyes Syrlya with a frown. "...All of the plants upon my body are withering... ..." He gently sets Yuuya down, sending him the feeling of safety, and warmth. It's fine now, after all.

But, as for Syrlya- "...I, the man Gongenzaka, have been practicing to heal poisons, myself- it may not be much but...perhaps, combined with a potion..."

To that, Suzu gives another 'wff', holding up the bottle.

[chronosynthesis]

That's fair. Syrlya reaches for one of the leaves of is hair, it breaking easily in the damage. Thankfully, most of his body is covered in cloth to protect him. But his head isn't so lucky.

He covers his mouth to stifle another cough as he looks down at Suzu. "Oh--thank you."

He takes the drought, glancing sidelong to Gongenzaka. "I think... this will be fine. There are others that need more tending to than me."

He nods to them as he uncorks the healing draught before swallowing it.

[betheman]

He nods. "...If it appears that side effects of whatever poison struck us linger, please, speak. You are, after all... ..the reason many of us have made it here," he continues, nodding slowly. "..As it is, I, the man Gongenzaka, cannot help with much beyond poisons, so..." So...well there's a reason he's not one of the back up nurses.

Suzu will take that bottle back once Syrlya's done with it on that note. It's got two doses after all, so once he's through, there should be another dose left for a rainy day!

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya pauses at the compliment, then squints at the vial. He might have taken a little more than half, but... close enough.

He offers it back to Gongenzaka, clearing his throat. "I'm only doing what I can. I... cannot save everyone. Who else went on the rescue with you? I recall hearing Sans announce it."

[betheman]

"Strange was left behind," he replies, sighing as he moves to take Yuuya up again. He holds the other gently, as if the boy were made of porcelain.

Marishi is summoned to continue, before he loses himself entirely in thought.

"...Sans was in NO condition for that rescue," she hisses, tail lashing angrily. "Mr. Strange practically had to run the entire thing, with Joker picking the lead..! And when Noboru finally had Yuuya and ran toward him, he took Joker and fled instead..!"

Gongenzaka winces- part of him had been trying not to blame the skeleton- but his daemon, most likely he admits, has it right.

"...The poison... ...I, the man Gongenzaka, believe it brought his thoughts back to the Manor..." It's all he can think of, at least, all he can think that would make sense.

[chronosynthesis]

"Wait, left behind?" Those are not the words Syrlya wants to hear in a situation like this.

Sans, they can get to that in a moment. It sounds like he got away cleanly. "Left behind where? What happened?"

[betheman]

"Well, we can't fault him for that one I suppose," Marishi mutters, Gongenzaka sighing.

"...Aauh. When we first cornered Yuuya and the Fae, he was dosed with...some sort of poison."

"He wasn't...acting himself," the cat grumbles. "...He attempted to set us on fire actually...regardless, the plan had been for Noboru to run and continue running if he successfully snatched Yuuya; if anyone could stand a chance at escaping the fae on their own, it would be those two, not us."

There is a pause, and she mutters- "Though it would have still been better if he teleported us..." Another grimace from Gongenzaka- those are His thoughts, somehow, after all.

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya pinches the bridge of his nose.

"I will retrieve Strange before the hunt can do worse to him. Where did you first find Yuya?"

[betheman]

Well, he's not about to tell Syrlya NOT to do that. Instead, he nods to Suzu...who hands the healing draught back.

Just to be safe, see. "Be careful- as for where he is, it was a few hundred meters north from where you found Yuuya and I. It was an alley way. ...which he set on fire," he adds, taking the crown of flames from his brow and passing the gemstone forward.

"Just give this back once you return- suffice to say, you probably need it to get him, however."

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya takes the gem, reviewing it in his hand before nodding.

"Thank you. I'll approach with caution and return this once he's retrieved."

He's guessing on the location, so there's a moment of pause before he disappears, leaving Gon with Yuya to his own devices.

[betheman]

"Auh. ...Good luck."

...Is all he says. From there, he, Marishi, and Suzu as well will turn their attentions to Yuuya. Fruitlessly trying their own magic for a 'cure', and from there focusing on both locating anyone with medical experience and comforting the boy's spirit.

They'll fix this, Yuuya.

...They'll fix this.