[PUBLIC CHANNEL] RINGMASTER'S EIGHTH ADDRESS (D30)

[lordofthering]

[Around the start of the new performance week, the Ringmaster will light up everyone's radios with an important message. Or, rather, some important musing.]

Hello, this is the Ringmaster speaking. I say that for the benefit of any new arrivals - everyone else surely recognizes my voice, by now. The rest of this may leave you in the dust as it will be touching on some carnival history, but you can may questions if you want to get up to date.

So, I spent a lot of time thinking when the lot of you were busy with that Pillar drama. As most are aware, a couple months ago we went on a mission to retrieve an extremely powerful artifact called the Blue Rose, which we have been using to defend the carnival from faerie threats. Which, seems successful so far, given that Nightshade didn't dare enter the grounds the entire time we were there! A victory, indeed.

It got me thinking, though... the Blue Rose actually comes as a set. As I've explained to a few of you, the Blue Rose is an organism created by the first Queens of Arcadia. Only three artifacts of its kind exist, as far as I know, and I fairly sure that none of them are actually in faerie hands.

So, I thought... what if we were somehow able to get the other two? Not only would that be enough to ward off the Courts completely, it would go a long way to defending us against any of the other nonsense we come across! Perhaps we could even go back to business as usual, for a while...

Anyway, in an attempt to be more forthcoming, I am presenting this idea to you for general 'work shopping' purposes. I know that the Blue Rose was a big hassle to get, but we know so much more now than we did then! I think it's worth a second look.

Comments

[whattaprick]

What do you mean, 'the last time'?

[lordofthering]

[She pauses for a moment, like she's surprised that was questioned.]

When I was younger. Before I left Arcadia in the first place.

[whattaprick]

How’d that last fight work out for you?

[ The answer is obvious, if she’s running a carnival away from fae influence, but Lambert is genuinely curious. Can’t hurt to have a barometer of the Ringmaster’s past successes ... and failures. ]

[lordofthering]

It was a group effort... When the group aspect fell apart, I left for greener pastures. The last fight we had happened to go fantastically... but it turns out that fighting wasn't accomplishing what we wanted.

I intended to get away from that racket entirely. So it goes.

[whattaprick]

[ It's sort of weird, mapping that knowledge on the Ringmaster. She doesn't strike Lambert as much of a team player... but then again, maybe that's why that group fell apart in the first place. ]

What happened to the rest of that group?

[lordofthering]

Well, you've met the Summer Maiden already. Her and the fae that followed her were part of it. There were other Wyld Fae, of course, and similar group from the Winter Court. Summer is the only one I've kept in contact with. Most others would involve going back to Arcadia, which is off the table for the moment.

[whattaprick]

You had allies in the Winter Court?

[ That, more than anything else, is oddly surprising. The Great Beast is, after all, seems to run more hot than anything else... and their experiences with the Winter Court leave much to be desired. Lambert's never liked the cold. ]

[lordofthering]

Yes.

[She's apparently not going to expand on that information so easily. Yet, her references to the Winter Court and ice magic in general has always been on the prickly side.]

I'm not sure I do anymore, but at the time... yes.

[whattaprick]

[ Hm. He could press more, but he doesn’t ... such a short answer doesn’t exactly invite discussion. Instead, it’s time to move on to a new topic. ]

What do you know about something called “the Source”?