Jonathan Strange (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
kingsroads) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
limacharlie2017-10-31 12:27 pm
kingsroads) wrote in limacharlie2017-10-31 12:27 pm
Entry tags:
day 177, midmorning, post surprise skeleton visitor
[ 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! )
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! )
no subject
I did get a look at the Prince's transformation magic when I broke that enchantment during the Hunt, so that might be able to help. However, it would help moreso with the servants than our kidnapped members.
[ still, any port in a storm.
...and no comment about what they need is Lambert's input because yeah. Peridot's right and Strange misses his bro. :c ]
no subject
It's certainly worth considering. What I really need is a sample to work with... I only got a brief glimpse of what happened to Lambert. I need to understand how the effect functions before I can really work to undo it.
no subject
I don't know how we could get them off, but perhaps we can ask her or one of the other freed captives for a sample.
no subject
[This "miss akaba", he just mentioned, she means. She's not embarrassed about this particular ignorance, so she won't even try to pretend otherwise.]
But hey, if you've had contact with some of them, and you don't mind getting some samples from them, I can go take care of asking the Ringmaster a few questions. Then we can get started right away.
no subject
[ first he knocks out a seven year old, then he suggests breaking a rock off of her, Strange is #winning at dealing with children. ]
no subject
[Sorry Strange. She's an idiot sometimes.]
But I suppose if we're working on a cure, odds are I'll have to meet her at some point. You can point her out to me then. In the meantime, SAMPLES!
no subject
[ and possibly get told off by Ginko because this is Strange we're talking about. ]
no subject
[Also frankly he's not sure he trusts Strange to take samples from Reira without freaking her out, sorry Strange.]
no subject
[Funny how teamwork seems like a super excellent idea to her when the task at hand is in an area she's not super familiar with.]
no subject