[ With the Ringmaster cutting off the kidnappee’s radios, it seems as good a time as any to use them again -- particularly since some particularly concerning developments have come to light. ]

As you’ve probably heard, some of our people got kidnapped at CY-Ren’s concert. [ If Lambert sounds incredibly reluctant to talk about this, it’s because he is. ] She’s also apparently managed to turn some -- maybe all of them -- into Harbingers like her.

[ Rita, on the other hand, shows no hesitation as she barrels ahead into an explanation. ]

For those not aware, Guardians and Harbingers both draw power from something called a 'Spark'... a physical manifestation of one's greatest passion or desire. For Harbingers, that passion has been inverted and twisted to serve the purpose of the Void... to destroy all living things. In other words, they've been brainwashed, and with their Sparks awakened, they're also incredibly powerful.

And now they’re using those powers to… [ Lambert pauses again. This is the part that sounds really stupid to him: ] … cause trouble around the city. Funny thing is, can’t say we’ve seen CY-Ren around at all. Can’t be a coincidence.

...Right. I don't know what their goal is, but maybe they can tell us, if we manage to recapture them. There has to be a way to get them back to normal, too.

As they are now, they're too strong to take down with normal means, but we have one new tool at our disposal. Through some sort of awakening, some among us are now able to manifest our own Sparks and fight back using the power of Creation. This should give us the edge we need to beat the Harbingers... and CY-Ren.

[ ‘Some sort’ of awakening is one way to put it. To wrap it up before this goes on too long, Lambert finishes: ]

But first we need to know how many of us there actually are. So speak up. That goes for anyone who’s run into the Harbingers too -- if we can figure out their movements or catch one of them, maybe we can figure out what this next ‘concert’ of hers is going to do this time.

Okay, if any clods are out there and listening, I'm going to need someone to fill me in on whatever the heck I missed, RIGHT NOW!

[Oh hey, the Engineer is back, and she sounds MIGHTY PISSED OFF.]

[ Strange is trying his hardest not to sound suspicious which naturally means this post sounds suspicious as hell. ]

May I ask a favor? If anyone spots a chicken wandering around the carnival or Wismuth, please return said chicken to me. [ pause. ] Or the Ringmaster. Come to think of it, it would probably be better if the chicken was returned to the Ringmaster in the first place.

[ it's after Strange comes down from his high and stops having existential thoughts about the nature of hands that he actually makes this post...which means that there's plenty of time for your character to have run into said chicken. ]

[ So after this, promptly followed by a visit to the Ringmaster, Childermass will be turning his radio back on and, unshockingly, delivering a vague and potentially unsettling request. ]

This is Childermass. [ Like anyone doesn't recognize an English accent that's been gargling gravel by now. ] I would like all of us to keep an eye out for Summer Court activity in our upcoming stops. The letter I received from the Summerlands makes me think they might make a play for the Blue Rose.

Months ago, during the Celebration, a few of us got together to talk about and compare the magic from our worlds. Well, it's been a while since then and we've certainly picked up more magicians, so why not revive that little discussion group?

[ he's phrasing it as a hypothetical but as Strange keeps barging on, there's nothing hypothetical about it: he is totally reviving that discussion group. ]

I've asked around and the smaller festival hall in the building closest to the carnival portal is available for our use. Anyone who's interested should meet there tonight, just after sundown, for an informal gathering to talk about magic. There will be space inside the festival hall and outside in the snow for anyone to demonstrate their techniques.

Likewise, anyone who wishes to learn about magic should come and visit as well. [ And there's a bit of a pause like Strange is trying his hardest to choose his words carefully. ] Magicians in the carnival have different types of magic drawing upon different techniques. While one school of thought might seem incomprehensible, another might seem as clear as day. This is a chance for those of us with magic to learn from each other and develop our skills and those of us who wish to learn magic to see what practice would best fit their needs.

[ There's a pause, because Strange has no idea how to end this. ] Sound off if you're coming, I suppose. Oh, and can someone bring snacks?

( ooc: this is an ic post about mage club, an idea floated around on the cr meme a while back. I'll put up a mingle log later in the week for the actual meeting itself. as for this post, feel free to threadjack around! )

This is Peridot: Your engineer and number-one gem speaking, interrupting your usual afternoon radio chatter with an urgent matter of utmost importance. SO LISTEN UP!

[She’ll pause briefly to give people more time to actually turn their radios up and listen properly, because she is actually dedicated to making sure that the whole carnival is on the same page with this.]

A-hem. Thank you. Now as some of you may already know, a small group of dedicated carnival members-- including yours truly—have been coordinating an effort to try and create a possible antidote to the venom of a certain detestable fae. You know the one. The clod that we were all EXTREMELY glad to see get his comeuppance at the hands of our great and wonderful Ringmaster.

Anyway. The Prince may be gone now, but unfortunately, his cruddy venom is still affecting a large percentage of the carnival staff. Worse yet-- through no fault of any of its founding members-- the original antidote team has made very little progress on manufacturing a cure. [Muttering:] Personally, I blame the fact that most of the people who would have been better suited to this work were also counted among those that were missing, but I digress! We did what we could with what we had, okay?!

[Mari is only kind of interrupting this time, but she’s a little more forceful than usual--and a little more animated than this really warrants. She’s just excited about having a new project.]

We've identified the basic problem: that the venom is affecting the soul of its victims and not just their bodies. Physical cures alone aren't going to cut it. We're gonna need magic, medicine, and metaphysical prowess, especially when it comes to souls and soul energy.

And while we can't make you do anything, not helping would be kind of an asshole thing to do right now.

The kind of asshole thing we’ll definitely remember.

[Somewhere off in the background, you can hear Peridot muttering:] Nyeh?

[Promise, threat, same thing.]

The good news is, we do have a new doctor to introduce! He's kind of our only doctor, really. But no one's died under his care yet, sooooo that's probably a good sign.

...take it away, doctor.

[There is a pause because Herbert is giving Mari an incredibly unimpressed look. But, like, fair, he guesses.]

My name is Herbert West, this… carnival’s new medic and as someone previously held captive by this ‘Prince’ I’ve only recently had the opportunity to begin my research into this unique affliction. I have education and previous experience in various forms of medicine and chemistry, especially in regards to specific aspects of pathology—however, I have never encountered… [He’s so reluctant. He is the MOST reluctant.] …what is referred to here as magic. Therefore, any help from those knowledgeable in that particular field and how it might interact with biomedical science, as well as any individuals who may have encountered artificially induced fossilisation in any form previously would be ideal.

Additionally, if you have been affected by the venom and you have yet to visit the medical tent I must insist you do so as soon as possible! My--our development of the cure depends upon data, and we cannot be aware of all the variables without access to each patient. As long as everyone cooperates we should be able to solve this in fairly short order.

Right, so. There you have it. We’ll turn the ‘floor’ over to the other workers who will be heading up some of the other research teams now, but the bottom line here is: We’re all gonna work together, come up with a cure to fix everyone, and it’s GONNA BE GREAT!

[ There are a lot of things people need to do right now: help the Prince's servants get resettled, get started on figuring out who can work on a cure for the petrification, deal with the trauma of dying in a hopefully healthy and non-self-destructive way, show the new people the ropes of what the Carnival has to work with.

Instead, in the morning of the second day since the Prince was defeated, anyone on the radio gets this: ]

So, I've been wondering.

[ The Nightrider's voice, for those who recognize it, has definitely been better. It's a low, hoarse rasp, and the pause at the end is not just for effect, but to actually catch his breath. ]

Just how old is everyone here, anyway? Here, I'll start. I'm ... pretty sure I'm almost sixty. [ A beat. ] ... Maybe.

[ Why did anyone let this man have his radio back again? ]

[ ooc; Lambert's flat on his back in the medical tent for this, feel free to bug him in person and threadjack each other at will. ]

[ 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! )

[ Lambert's out of better ideas. With the Warden (probably) in the Prince's hands, even if it risks panicking his more easily riled colleagues, who will almost certainly notice Sans missing at breakfast ... he doesn't have a choice.

By the time this message comes on the radio, there's only about ten minutes until they have to be harried off to breakfast, and that's pushing it. Nonetheless, he's got to make an effort: ]

Hey. I need a second opinion on this outfit. Can you come by my room?

[ However, he won't be replying on the supervisor channel even if he's questioned. Take a hint, guys! ]

[ Roughly around five in the morning, the supervisor-only channel will crackle to life with Childermass's consistently bored-sounding voice, even in the face of this particular news— ]

Tyki Mikk is missing. He failed to report back in earlier this morning and isn't in his assigned room. I've yet to check the rest of them, but I can if need be.

[ Although Zecora may have known even before now, depending on whether or not she's a light enough sleeper to know when her roommate is shadow-stepping in and out of the place. ]