⇨ THE WYLDLANDS

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone pursuing the Huntsman.
When: Day 134 - Day 140
Where: The Wyldlands
What: Working as scouts from the Summer armies, the carnival makes a dangerous trek into the Wyldlands to find the Huntsman, defeat him, and save the Ringmaster from the Hunt. The day descriptions below are an outline, and details may change based on actions earlier in the week. Overall, though, it will keep the same general locations. You can make up encounters with Wylderkin at any time.
Warnings: Probably violence and gross Huntsman stuff.

HUNTING THE HUNTER↴ Upon first arriving in the Wyldlands, the carnival will find themselves in a scene much like the picture above - strange mountain ranges rise up around them, while thick forest cling to the land between. Every so often, giant silhouettes of Wyld Fae will fly overhead. Thankfully, the Summer Fae have picked an area with plenty of cover to hide in to begin their infiltration, and as the carnival is arriving via teleporation, there will be squadrons of Summerland and Summer Court Fae spreading out and concealing themselves within the trees. They will be following the carnival's trail as they move deeper into the Wyldlands, looking for their guidance to avoid the maw of the Hunt. The carnival Supervisors will be given several golden scrolls that unfurl into small light elementals. These will transmit information between the Summer armies and the carnival at speeds similar to sending a text message. They takes various forms, but most of them are abstract motes of light with wings and tails. When delivering messages, they take the form and voice of whoever gave the message, like a custom hologram that disappears immediately after finishing. After the carnival has been debriefed one more time, they will be sent off ahead to begin their scouting duties. Through a mixture of augury and expertise, the Summer Fae have narrowed down an area the Huntsman should be, as well as designated a general route that will mostly have ground cover. Who knows if it will stay that way, though, with how quickly the Wyldlands change. Much like in the Summer Court, time here is subjective - all sense of time varies between individuals, and the only solid way of knowing when a day is over is to have the light from the sky disappear. All time pieces will perform erratically while here. The carnival will still need to eat and rest, as well, which means that they will have to figure out the best times to set up camp. They have sufficient rations, at least. ► DAY 134: The carnival heads deeper into the forest on the first day of their scouting mission, told to head for a giant tree that they can see on the horizon. Apparently, this tree is a landmark that will remain consistent for the time being. Someone will have to check above the canopy every so often to keep everyone on target, which risks gaining the attention of flying Wyld Fae. There are plenty of Wylderkin around (lesser Wyld Fae that behave more like standard fantasy animals) but overall the journey through this section will not be hugely perilous, as long as they remain cautious and hidden. There will be a Megathread on this day, dealing with some optional and only mildly important Summer Court NPC interactions. ► DAY 135: Early during the next day of travelling, the forest will begin to fill with more and more magical fungi until giant shrooms have almost completely replaced the trees. At first they will seem innocuous, but as their presence becomes more inescapable, it will gradually become apparent than many of the mushrooms are poisonous to the touch - and eating them will be far worse! Those with empathetic connections to plants may be able to determine which are poisonous and which aren't, while some fungi may even have beneficial effects, if they get lucky enough to find and identify them. Generally speaking, though, there are few non-plant creatures around here, due to the fact that everything is toxic, including the swampy water that covers large sections of the ground. There will be no mod directed interactions during this period, besides handling general investigations. ► DAY 136: During the middle of this day, the carnival will finally reach the giant tree. On one hand, the plant-life has become relatively safe again. On the other, the giant tree is the lair of several neutral Wyld Fae who probably won't like the carnival's presence. On the other other hand, maybe those Wyld Fae might be willing to help or offer them directions? It's up to the group to decide if they want to attempt diplomacy, or to stealth past the tree and find their own way. There will be a Megathread on this day, based on however the team decides to handle it. ► DAY 137: Past the area surrounding the big tree, the lush foliage of the forest will begin degrading until nothing is left but dark naked trunks filled with glowing pods of various sizes. It's here that those with a connection to the Hunt will start to get a sense of the Huntsman's presence, and will be drawn in a vague direction. Unfortunately, this will also be their first major brush with the Hunt itself. Hunt patrols skirmish with neutral Wyld Fae in this forest, and the collateral damage of their warfare can be seen all over. The carnival will want to either map out a path through the trees that the fighting can be avoided for the sake of the Summer troops, or give them enough data to be able to handle the threat. How this portion goes will partly depend on the outcome of the previous day's Megathread. ► DAY 138: The forest will open up into the beginnings of a mountain range, with flowing water, luminescent plant life, and the occasional cluster of crystals sprouting from the earth. There are large parties of Hunt controlled Wyld Fae patrolling this area, and so making it through will require careful navigation. As the path becomes more and more mountainous, it will be possible to find routes that mostly avoid the patrols - this information will need to be communicated back to the Summer troops. There will be a Megathread here dealing with a Hunt patrol encounter. ► DAY 139: The mountains will continue to steepen, and the crystal formations will grow more huge and consistent. The air is always cloudy, and the air condition is bad, making it harder to breathe. Weather will become more and more unfavorable the higher into the mountains the carnival gets, with cold winds and lightning that frequently strikes the crystals and causes them to send out bursts of destructive energy. Paths will occasionally crumble. There is still a heavy Hunt presence, here, though they keep to safer trails - the best way to avoid them may indeed be taking the most dangerous routes. It's probably better than being mauled to death by beasts, though. Some distant mountain tops look like the might be volcanoes. There is almost no plant-life here, besides the most stubborn of brambles. By this point, the pull of the Huntsman has grown much stronger. ► DAY 140: The sky clears enough to show a deep red skyline. Barren cliffs are punctuated with rivers of lava, and paradoxically vibrant trees and foliage in erratic spurts. The those in the carnival with a connection to the Hunt will find themselves drawn to a valley in the center of the rocks, absolutely filled with Wyld Fae and other slaves gathered from around the multiverse. This will be the final encounter, and the carnival may have to trust in their Wyld Fae disguises to make it through. There will be multiple Megathreads here, detailing the encounter with the Huntsman and bringing this log to an end.

Comments

[fourthscribe]

Tanyuu nods in agreement, and Lambert's warning, though concerning, bolsters her resolve. "If we make it clear our intentions are only against the Hunt, I think we have a chance."

She reaches up to put a hand over Rin's, offering a small smile of encouragement.

[npcarnival]

"If you would prefer, someone else can take point," Ignatius says, somewhat flatly. "My intent is to keep any of them from having the chance to harm you."

They are getting close now. Up above them, flocks of flying Wylderkin can be seen flutterings around the canopy. So far, nothing has emerged to confront them. As they reach the base of the tree's roots, its size becomes even more overwhelming. Though, given the side of some fae, could they expect any less?

"It may be time to announce our presence," Ignatius says, squinting up into the large crack down the center of the trunk. It'd be a bit of a climb to even get up there. "Anyone have any ideas?"

[periphrasing]

"I could shout some kind of greeting," Peridot suggests. "I've been told on more than one occasion that I am extremely good at being loud."

She looks very proud about this.

[drrdrrdrr]

"I got this," says Amethyst, sidling up to Ignatius on all fours. "Here ya go."

She turns into a purple loudspeaker with eyes. It is SO much easier to deal with tense situations when you're a goofy inanimate object with eyes on, in her experience, and right now she is VERY nervous.

[whattaprick]

“Well, if we’re here to get them on our side, we should be pretty direct,” Lambert suggests, with just a touch of testiness. He’s not the one who was most enthusiastic about this option, and he’s well aware of his own diplomatic limitations, so he’s not going to reach for that megaphone. “‘We’re here to parley with the Wyld Fae who want the Hunstman’s ass kicked out of the Wyldlands, if there are any.’”

[npcarnival]

Ignatius is ostensibly quite puzzled by this Amethyst flavoured loudspeaker, though he does hesitantly take it in his hand. He does have an idea of what it's supposed to be for, though it isn't the move dignified way of introducing yourself.

"I'm willing to announce our presence," he says. "But I had thought you wanted to establish your independence from the Courts...?"

[atouts]

"That is a very good point," Childermass has to agree. In particular, he doesn't want to be seen as 'from the Courts'. "Allies aside, we're here for the Ringmaster, not the Courts. Even if we do have allies from Summer, we're the ones who are a Wyld Fae's kin, not Ignatius."

[hippocarnival]

"In that case, I think Peridot should do it." Since she did already offer. Nobody's being put on the spot they don't want to.

[npcarnival]

Ignatius hands Amethyst to Peridot without question.

[whattaprick]

“We are,” Lambert affirms, nodding at Childermass and Ignatius both. As Amethyst gets passed over to Peridot, he’ll go stand by her for moral support, if she needs any, giving her a quick, encouraging smirk.

“Though the way I see it, she’s ours, not the other way around.” Master, friend, occasional pain in the ass ... but undoubtedly someone who, one way or another reason, is the reason they’re standing here now. “Well, go ahead and let ‘em know the Great Beast’s Carnival and their allies are here.”

Just because they’re not much of a Carnival anymore doesn’t mean they can’t claim that title anymore, after all.

[drrdrrdrr]

Amethyst makes the mouthpiece of the loudspeaker into her actual mouth so she can give Peridot an encouraging smooch on the nose.

"You got this!"

Helpful!

[kingsroads]

Strange is obviously not very sure about this whole thing. Though it's less about Peridot being the one to say something and more about the whole concept in general.

"Just...phrase it more diplomatically than Lambert's 'we want to kick the Huntsman's ass.' And don't demand to see them. Ask politely."

It's always a good idea to be deferential to the forces that could probably smush you into a pulp if they so chose.

[periphrasing]

Peridot blushes and snickers a bit at Amethyst's smooch, because she is a Big Gay(tm), but the various gestures of encouragement are appreciated. Without further hesitation she lifts the amephone up to her face, and starts to shout her announcement:

"ATTENTION ALL WYLD FAE! I, Peridot, and my fellow changelings from the Carnival of the Great Beast, have arrived at your tree! We come independently of the Great Beast, in peace, with the hopes of parleying with you! .... Peacefully!"

She lowers the Amephone again and covers the talky part with one hand, glancing up to blink between Lambert and Ignatius. "Was that okay?"

[betheman]

Well. That was definitely something.

Gongenzaka stares, and blinks a little slowly, finding himself unable to keep from speaking- "It...will certainly have received attention, I expect," he manages, eyes moving from Peridot and Amethyst to the massive tree before them.

They're certainly about to find out if it was okay, at least.

[drrdrrdrr]

Amethyst shapeshifts a hand out the side of the megaphone and gives a thumbs up.

Here's hoping it was okay, anyway!

[npcarnival]

For a while, there is silence - an odd amount of silence. It feels like the birds that had previously been fluttering about have disappeared completely, the ambient noise of their calls going silence. Then, finally a patch of foliage near the base of the tree shifts.

Out of the leaves curls an insectoid creature with the face of a woman, expertly trailing down the side of the tree and in the group's direction. She slips over the thick, shimmering bark, her massive claws balancing her as they find purchase.

She comes to the edge of the large root looking over the party like a cliff, tilting her head. There is something a bit unnerving about her facial expressions - almost as if the human parts of the body are being puppetted instead of a natural part of her body.

"Parley?" they ask. "Peace?"

[starseedling]

Steven watches with an edge of uncertainty, glancing over at Peridot and Amethyst. He takes a step forward, raising his hands to cup his mouth as he calls out to greet her.

"Peace!" he confirms. "We don't want to fight. We just want to talk!"

[periphrasing]

Peridot is extremely glad that Steven steps up, because now that there's actually a fae present she is completely distracted with boggling at it. Her grip on the amephone's handle tightens unconsciously.

[flashover]

Ooh, a bug! She's pretty, Rin thinks to himself. A thought immediately followed up by "It's a good thing Shima stayed in the Summerlands..."

He nudges Kuro forward before jumping off of his back. Kuro sits down, twitching his twin tails curiously.

"Hi! Yeah! Peace! We're here looking for someone. We were hoping we might be able to help each other."

[npcarnival]

"You speak of the Great Beast," she says, tilting her head again a bit too far in on direction. "She is no longer here."

Up in the tree, the birds are still quiet.

[whattaprick]

“We already know where she is,” Lambert answers, looking the bug ... thing over warily. “The Huntsman killed and took her with the Winter Queen’s help.”

[kingsroads]

"We think we know where she is," Strange clarifies. "Whether the Huntsman has her in the Wyldlands or not, none of us can say."

If he had to guess, he'd say that there was a good chance that she was still in the Wyldlands. But if the Huntsman's teaming up with the Winter Court and the Winter Queen wants the Ringmaster dead, there's still a chance that she might not be there. And there's something about the way that fae phrases the statement that makes Strange want to step in and clarify things or be pedantic for a moment.

"Do you know where she is?"

[npcarnival]

The Wyld Fae seems, in a word, 'confused.' It might have to do with one piece of information being given and then bring so swiftly retracted.

"What is the small ones offering?" She asks. "What are these?"

[starseedling]

Steven looks between Lambert and Strange, worry in his eyes, trying to think of what they can say to make this happens. He makes the decision to move forward and speak, while they have the chance.

"We're like you!" Steven says. "We're stuck between the Courts, and we're not really like either of them. We may not be as strong as you, but we all want the same thing: to be left alone!" He clenches his fists at his sized. "The Huntsman took something important from us, and he's probably doing the same thing to you... maybe we can help each other?"

[hippocarnival]

Yuya comes up beside Steven, a little in awe at the fae. "That's right! We want to put a stop to the Huntsman. He's done a lot of damage in the Wyldlands, hasn't he?"

This is absolutely banking on these Wyld fae having a problem with the Huntsman, specifically, but based on Lambert's words, and running along with Steven's plea--that's probably their best guess? It definitely isn't one of his hunters, anyway.