day 177, midmorning, post surprise skeleton visitor

[kingsroads]

[ set on whatever channel they've got set up that's just "people who aren't kidnapped"

holy shit guys, it's a plot infodump. The radio clicks on to Strange, who sounds very tired, possibly because the amount of sleep he's gotten over the past week is somewhere in the vicinity of jack-shit. ]

For all our new employees, welcome to the carnival. You were rescued from the manor of a fae known as "the Prince." He has previously kidnapped some of our number and warped their minds so they believe they serve him. Some have been rescued, some are still imprisoned alongside more of your fellow employees.

Previously, we were expected to simply behave and play along as he and the Ringmaster attempted negotiations. The reason why he's changed his strategy so quickly is that some of our number managed to steal an important artifact of the Prince's. I believe he still has some of the artifact's power stored in a battery of some kind, but I'm afraid I don't know the specifics. [ fill us in on that, Childerteam + Rooftop Adventure, Strange was under a magical mindwhammy for that part of the plot ]

Along with warping their minds, the Prince has poisonous magic of some sort. He also has transfiguration magic: some of the animals from the Hunt were servants and some of the animals prowling the islands are undoubtedly servants as well. Most worryingly, he has the power to take someone's true name—something which we believe happened to Papyrus's brother. Taking a true name essentially robs someone of their identity, their very essence of self. [ though the words are clinical, Strange's tone relays the fact that this is Bad News. ] We don't know of any way to retrieve one's true name except from the Prince himself.

The remaining members of the carnival are held prisoner inside the Prince's fortress. There's some sort of ward around the fortress that blocks radio communication and, most annoyingly, my scrying. There aren't any specific entrances to the fortress itself. It is alive as well, and can respond to the servants. Likewise, the Prince is an earth elemental which means that he's strongest at this sort of defensive outlasting.

[ and then Strange finally takes a breath and takes a sip of water. ]

I think it's obvious that charging at the castle head-first and recklessly won't work. We need a plan and we need to come up with one quickly. The Ringmaster suggested the idea of a challenge, challenging the Prince with a game that he thinks he can win though we know we can win. Alternatively, we did manage to rescue most of our number in Hell through a stealth operation. Something like that could be attempted again. [ yeah, that's right, they went to hell, sorry to drop THAT bombshell on you, newbies. ] I don't think I need to tell you how risky either of those options are but if you have any suggestions, now is the time to tell us.

( ooc: feel free to use this post for threadjacking/brainstorming/asking questions/catching your characters up on the plot/whatever! )

Comments

[periphrasing]

[It's not typical for Peridot to sound quite this tired, but even despite the direness of the situation, there's still a bit of optimism in her tone as she addresses the whole carnival as well (rather than responding directly to Strange:)]

In the event that infiltration seems like our best option, I'd like to stress that we NOT make any sort of move without an AIR TIGHT PLAN in place. I'm doing my best to solve both the communication issue, and to find a way to counteract the Prince's poison. These are two obstacles that absolutely MUST be dealt with if we're going to have a chance at doing this without just getting more of us captured.

As for the challenge... I don't really do games and sports. But if I think of anything, I'll be sure to contribute.

[kingsroads]

I don't know anything about poisons, but I am quite adept with regards to magic. If you want my help, I'll gladly provide it.

[periphrasing]

...Frankly I need all the help I can get.

[And her tone implies: She doesn't admit that lightly.]

I remember a good deal about transformation magic from my Portland days, and I know about rocks. Poisons are unfortunately outside of my typical purview, but perhaps, between the two of us...

[She huffs, and mutters as an afterthought:]

What we could really use right about now is Lambert's input...

[Or Sans's. Or Rita's. UNFORTUNATELY...]

[dressedtothe]

[He's grumpy about everything and he hates that he has to deal with Peridot, but he knows how to work with people he doesn't like for the greater good. Even if she's a dirty alien.]

Strange says the radios and his scrying are being blocked, so it's probably a magical jammer since our radios use magic not technology at its core. [Probably extends to the Nightrunner maps... He hasn't heard from Lambert but that might be because he's indisposed.] Actual radio waves will probably get blocked, but us YoRHa use something else to communicate to Command.

[He sounds especially reluctant about the next part.]

I'll come back and show you Pod 153's blueprints. See if you can make something similar to its transmission module.

[periphrasing]

[It doesn't matter that 9S is literally only working with her because he has no other choice. She's going to jump on this opportunity to engage with him in a positive and upbeat manner, dammit!]

That's exactly the theory that I'm basing my work off of! That it's a magical barrier and not a technological one, I mean.

[GOOD FOR YOU, being on the same level as her! Color Peridot genuinely impressed.]

Anyway, gems have communication technology meant to link through galaxies, but I doubt I have the resources here to perfectly replicate such a system. Having a look at these "Pod" blueprints of yours would be exceedingly helpful. Perhaps I can adapt some sort of combination of the two that won't require the vast amounts of Palladium that I don't currently possess that I would need to construct an interstellar communications array.

[tacosgay]

Hey, uh, it kinda sounds like you've already got the whole magic thing covered, but if you need any help... transmuting things or what have you, I'll be around.

[periphrasing]

On the contrary, we need all the help we can get. I mean, my skills are all considerable, but... I'm more familiar with transformation magic than transmutation.

[dontpokethat]

[Wait, if they know his name was taken, then--]

Is he back, then? The warden.

[kingsroads]

He is. It's a long story, but he's back in the carnival.

[ said long story ended up with Sans getting captured and everybody probably yelling at Strange because for fuck's sake, this is why you follow plans. ]

[chronosynthesis]

[Most of this, Syrlya already knows. But what's important is that this information is disseminated and discussed among the rest of the carnival. Everyone needs to know what's going on, and those in charge or with the most knowledge need to make a plan.

So he's very alert and attentive as he responds.]

You are correct about the battery. He has an orb that he transferred power from the Blue Rose to, and we suspect it is an equal match. Without the rose, the amount of power in it is limited and it will eventually run out--but that makes it no less potent, and I suspect pitting the rose against it will just result in catastrophic damage.

[So no forward assaults with the rose because they may just blow everyone up.]

As for his fortress, the Manor doesn't care for the Prince but it is under his complete control. If there was only a way to free it, he would lose his entire defense.

[kingsroads]

The magic I used to break the enchantment during the Hunt likely won't work for breaking the enchantment on the Manor. It's simply too large. [ besides, he is not going to kiss a house. ]

Perhaps we could wager the Manor's freedom if we take the challenge route? The problem is, I don't know what the carnival could wager of equal value.

[prazerbutterfly]

I'll leave the planning to you since you seem to be so good at it.

[Because he's going to take a long nap/possible sleep. He knows something like this will take a bit longer.] But I want in whether it is directly at the prince or rescuing prisoners the hard way.

[kingsroads]

[ hell has frozen over, someone included Strange in a group of people good at planning. ]

I'll tell you myself if we come up with anything, Mister Mykk.

[textsfromhotland]

Wait!! Papyrus' brother! I know his name! His name is------

uh.

It's right on the tip of my tongue, I swear.

[spaghettimonster]

It's on the tip of everybody's tongues, but no one can remember it... not even me.

[That should say a lot about how effective whatever the Prince did is.]

[spaghettimonster]

A ward blocking communication... So, it's safe to talk over this again? Nobody's dropping eaves back in the fortress? Scout said we should plan in person.

[kingsroads]

Oh, I've no idea if it's entirely safe or not. I don't know the precise magic either spell uses. But the entire carnival needs to be caught up on what's happened and where we stand and I shan't seek everyone out individually.

[ too much effort ]

[stillwinningthehardway]

I guess the wards would block radio. But he sends out gargoyles all the time, and sometimes people. I see that big flyer up there all the time, spying on us probably.

[That would be Julien.]

[kingsroads]

And we're still in his realm and we've one of his enthralled workers locked up in a trailer. If the Prince wanted to spy on us, there are plenty of ways for him to do so. But we can't rescue Lambert and the rest without a plan and we can't plan anything without communication.

[fortuneglass]

[Carly is mostly focused on listening, for all of this. After all she...doesn't have anything AGAINST the main idea, and honestly it'll be good to see what else comes forward.

Eventually though, she's putting down whatever she was just working with, and picking up the radio.] Mmnnh....if it's a challenge, it'll have to be something he would agree to, right?

...Maybe it doesn't have to be something...'big', if that makes sense? It could be something simple..! Like a game! Something that needs more work with your hands! The Prince seems really proud right? So if it isn't an obvious disadvantage...or well. Something that isn't as obvious as shapeshifting, I guess... ...He might go for that right?

...I mean, I suppose a race is the best thing we could do for something distracting, and something that needs focus, fast decisions, and so on....

...OH!!

Or- Or maybe we could challenge him to a round of Shiritori~!

[kingsroads]

The problem with a game is that it would need to be something the Prince thinks he can win and is comfortable betting large on. Even an overly confident man wouldn't bet large on a game he barely know the rules of. And since I don't know what that last thing you said is, I doubt the Prince will either.

[ give it up for Eurocentricism. ]

[stompadour]

[After what Blue Diamond told her, Jasper is fully on board to serve the Ringmaster. She is absolutely dedicated.

However. The power structure around here, it seems, is going to take some getting used to. And here Blue Diamond had told her the Ringmaster was like a Diamond but more powerful...]

You're just... asking around for suggestions? Don't you have anyone who's responsible for dealing with this kind of thing?

[kingsroads]

The normal responsibilities get a bit thrown to the wind when over a quarter of your number is suddenly kidnapped.

So yes, I am asking around for suggestions.

[tacosgay]

Hachi machi. Out of the frying pan and, uh, right into the hostage situation, huh?

Hey, uh, so, normally, I am all about staying the hell out of things, you know, look out for numero uno and all that, but I think I'm actually kind of involved in this one already, since I kind of helped steal the Rose and all that, so, uh... count me in for whatever the plan is this time, I guess. How bad could it fuckin' be?

[kingsroads]

[ real bad, buuuut Strange is keeping that to himself! ]

Thank you, Taako. Your help is appreciated.

Out of curiosity, what sort of obstacles did you face when you went to steal the Rose?