lostcarnival | ⇨ THE WYLDLANDS

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⇨ THE WYLDLANDS

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Strange has been listening. At Carly's explanation, he frowns a little, though quickly shifts that frown back into a neutral expression. She's not wrong. But Strange still has some mixed opinions about this whole Ringmaster business. And so, on a less emotionally driven note, he tosses in a few facts to back up her testimony.

"If we don't free her, then the Wyldlands will remain under the control of the Huntsman. Considering that he's already working with the Winter Court and we believe he has one of the Queen's Miracle in his possession, the sooner we free her, the better."

"We know now he has one of the miracles, and he may come into possession of the rest very soon." Syrlya nods to the River Dragon. "If you are already combatting his forces, then we could join together to rescue the Great Beast and end the Huntsman's threat for good."

The discussion doesn't exactly seem to answer where the River Dragon stands on the whole 'being a parent' thing, at least not to Lambert's satisfaction, but an ally's an ally ... more or less. And yet something's off. Lambert's shit enough reading body language as it is, but the dragon's so damn huge it's hard to miss.

"You said you feel responsible," he says abruptly, staring at the River Dragon, searching that inhuman visage for ... he doesn't even know. Something to confirm his crazed conspiracy theories, mostly. "Why? It's not like you're the one who got her caught." His tail lashes, agitated.

"Or are you talking about how the Hunstman got his hands on the Red Beast?" Wait. Fuck. Red wings, and talons? Incredulity makes the witcher's voice cracks a little as he raises it, fists balling at his sides.

"Did the Red Beast get caught trying to save the Ringmaster?!" Because the River Dragon wouldn't help? Or didn't care? He doesn't bother voicing the accusation, but he doesn't think he needs to.

Edited (oops i needed a pissier icon) 2019-02-08 21:02 (UTC)

The River Dragon has no argument with anything they are telling him - as they plead their case, he already seems to be in agreement. Whether it's out of personal concern or just a desire to avoid being ruled over by a tyrant is less clear, but he mostly just rumbles his assent.

"I came here to lend my aid," he says. "This now concerns much more than me and mine..."

And then Lambert starts talking. The River Dragon turns his head, his watery body thrashing across the mountain tops with similar agitation.

"Mmm..." he says, looking downward. "There are stories that are not mine to tell..." If a giant dragon can look uncomfortable, here it is. "You will encounter the Red Beast, it is true."

Lambert stares. And keeps staring. Yeah, you can keep right on looking uncomfortable, Mr. Ancient Wyld Fae Guy, because Lambert isn’t inclined to stop.

And then he raises a hand and crooks a clawed finger at Amethyst.

“Hey, Amethyst,” he says, too calmly, despite the flush of irritation beginning to creep up his neck. “Come here for a second, would you?”

Amethyst, who is currently an owl and probably perched on top of someone (most likely Steven but also potentially Herbert, depending on whether the Steven float jump train ended up needing someone to sit on top of them to help them land in the right place), hops down and changes back in order to trundle quadrupedally over.

"Hyup, yeah, whaddaya want?" she says, looking sidelong at the River Dragon.

This lack of answers is getting a little bit annoying. Unsurprisingly, the guy with a bit of a complex regarding secrets isn't too fond of information being deliberately withheld. Strange frowns a little as he looks up at the dragon.

"If you want to lend your aid, then tell us more about what we're facing. We still don't know as much as we'd like about the scope of the Huntsman's forces, the Red Beast itself, what all you can offer, and so on and so forth."

Despite the fact that they're still near each other, Strange is blatantly ignoring whatever the hell Lambert's up to because he has a sneaking suspicion it'll be stupid as hell.

Strange might, but Carly...is not.

She turns to Lambert suspiciously, crossing her arms. "...Lambert what are you doing..." SIR,

“I want to yell at him without hurting myself,” Lambert says, simply and ever-so-sincerely.

So it is, in fact, stupid as hell.

Unfortunately for everyone, Amethyst is always down for stupid as hell. She grins. "You got it, Lambo," she says, and becomes a megaphone again. A larger one this time, for comedy effect.

"Thanks," Lambert says, sincerely, before picking Amethyst up and directing the megaphone at the River Dragon (and assembled Wyld Fae in general, really). He doesn't have to raise his voice, but it sure is amplified.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME," Lambert says, as deadpan as anyone through a megaphone can. "NOW I KNOW WHICH SIDE OF THE FAMILY SHE GETS IT FROM. NOBODY'S GOING TO BE TELLING ANY STORIES IF WE DON'T GET THEM OUT OF THERE, SO YOU MIGHT WANNA GIVE US SOMETHING MORE THAN THAT." He pauses for a breath, a flicker of uncertainty in his expression, before he plows on ahead.

"LIKE HOW YOU GOT A MIRACLE KNOCKED UP AND YOUR KID DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT, FOR STARTERS."

Carly initially is doing a good job of hissing Lambert's name incredulously- but not stopping him because fine, sure, whatever-

At least until he does the actual screaming, prompting Carly to yelp rather loudly. "Is that even a FOR SURE thing..?!" She squeaks in protest, feathers ruffling. "What are you doing-!"

Nothing, Carly, he's already done it.

The River Dragon looks all too intent on just ignoring Strange's demands, when Lambert's less passive voice literally echoes over the peaks. The dragon freezes, confused, before moving all at once - slithering on his belly over the mountain tops and sending cascades of water pouring over the edges and around the carnival's feet.

He stops only when Lambert is practically right in front of his nose, his massive blue eyes staring down at him sharply.

"Would it be that even the ancients could be so bold as the most ignorant of humans," he growls, sending another roll of water across the rocks. "On what authority do you speak of my kin?"

Peridot, who has mostly just standing here in stunned silence the whole time, turns her head slightly to dragon-grimace at Lambert like nani the fuck?

Gongenzaka at least seems to have heard that and determined they aren't in quite as much shit as they could be. So rather than speak, he snorts- looking at Lambert semi-expectantly.

Go on.

Dragon asked you a question smart aleck.

The eyebrows sort of free floating above the eyes on the purple microphone go all the way up.

Out here, there's no Elysium protecting them; nothing any of them can do quickly enough to stand against the wrath of an outraged, fully grown fae. But it's that, if nothing else, that makes Lambert bolder. With the stakes as high as they are, just being here, can they afford to be anything else. He holds himself tense, poised like he's ready to pick a damn fight, if only because the other option is to buckle.

"MORE AUTHORITY THAN YOU," he dares. He doesn't think the Ringmaster has seen her father in a long, long time. "I'M HER FRIEND. AND ... I OWE HER."

Now that he's got the River Dragon so close, though, he's going to put Amethyst down, so he can speak at his own, slightly hoarse volume. Besides, if he's completely off the mark with this, at least only the rest of the Carnival can laugh at him.

"The Red Beast was someone the Ringmaster knew all along, wasn't she? A bird that can be reborn from its own ashes, a being of Birth and Decay -- the Phoenix. Her own mother."

Peridot is so shocked by this accusation that she pops out of her dragon form, completely losing her focus on holding that shape.

"But-- There's no way that can be true! If it was, how could the Ringmaster have not known about it? And isn't the Phoenix a creature of fire? I thought the Red Beast was supposed to be centered around wood and rot or something!"

She's been to Alola. SHE KNOWS THAT'S NOT HOW TYPE MATCHUPS WORK.

There is a moment of silent staring from the River Dragon, and then a gust of wind as it heavily exhales from its nostrils and into Lambert's face. It slowly pulls back - not much, but enough that he's a bit less close to swallowing the mortals before him.

"The Phoenix is gone," he says, wistful. "The Great Beast is all that remains."

"....Indeed they were, but the names themselves were symbolic of life and growth alongside death and decay. And...." Gongenzaka inclines his head, eyes closed.

"The one whom we connected with did indeed bear brilliant red wings..." No comment on if he agrees they're the same bird but. It does make sense.

...or. It did? The dragon speaks, and Gongenzaka blinks. "...Then...The Red Beast and the Phoenix cannot be the same!" Gongenzaka proclaims. "Otherwise, who could it be whom we connected to, using the ties of the miracles?!"

The River Dragon remains silent, his gaze averted. Misty swirls across the stone.

Steven, recently unburdened by Jasper's massive horse butt, has come up to Peridot's side at this point, looking up at the River Dragon with a pitying gaze. He's not sure he understands what's being said either, but there is an emotional ambiance he can't ignore.

"He's worried about her," he says softly, to anyone near enough to hear it.

This is so confusing. Why can't these idiot fae just speak in plain terms and say what they mean instead of being all cryptic and obtuse all the time?

What's more annoying is that, first, she was mad that Lambert seemed to have figured the secret out ahead of her; now she's mad because she was about two leaps away from believing his (now ridiculous sounding) theory before the River Dragon had shot it down, which makes her feel silly by association.

Steven's input is... Well it doesn't really clarify anything, but it helps her to at least decide what question to ask. "Um... Mr. River Dragon? Your... Greatness?" What the hell is she supposed to refer to him as, he's not a king... "When you say that the Great Beast is all that remains of her... Do you mean that in an abstract sense, like her offspring is her only remaining legacy? Or do you mean that in a literal sense?"

Carly- who has been quietly fuming more and more through this- explodes. "Of course he is!" She snaps, focusing on Lambert in particular. "They have his daughter! Who it sounds like, is all he has of the one he loved on top of it! ...No matter what way he meant it!" She continues, an edge of weepiness in her words. That she even considers Peridot's question to the dragon in her words is honestly impressive...but for now, she's more focused on the theorizers either way. "And you...You keep pushing about the 'Red Beast' like this is some sort of whodunnit that has to be solved!" And to be fair certain things would be good to know.

But at least to her, considering the emotions involved is just as important.

"Does this matter?!" Herbert bursts out with, finally. This is a lot of pointless theorising and conversation to him, and worst of all, he can't ignore it because he's trapped on the cliff wherever Jasper is. Just. Staring forward. Propped up looking at it.

"Are we going to, stand around here, demanding answers until the Huntsman takes over--we should be...getting this over with!" He nearly kicks at Jasper's side in punctuation, and then thinks better of it and just pokes her with a metal finger. "Let me down!"

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