Entries tagged with herbert west

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public channel | day 92, afternoon

Alright, we got any priests here? Tanyuu says we need one.

[There’s a lot more he could say here, like the fact that they’re specifically looking for a Shinto priest, and that they need one so Reira can experience a proper shichi-go-san festival, and that he suggested that maybe it didn’t really matter since it’s all symbolic anyway, and Tanyuu didn’t seem to like that suggestion.

But none of that has occurred to him, so here we are.]

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[PUBLIC CHANNEL] RINGMASTER'S ELEVENTH ADDRESS (D72)

[The radios will glow green as the Ringmaster begins a broadcast.]

Welcome back to the carnival, everyone. Things may look the same as before, but I assure you, there is no stone that has been left unturned or tree that hasn't been uprooted. We'll have no more stalkers from here on out.

There are a few things of relevance that I have to tell you about. Firstly, Ignatius is no longer in the moon. Instead, he's been relocated to a small island in the middle of the lake. He can't leave it, and you aren't allowed to visit it without my permission. If you do, and he wounds you, you can consider it your own fault.

In a related matter, I've decided to invest my magical energies into granting each of you a ressurection egg, as we clearly can't anticipate any peaceful resolutions from this. If you don't know what that means, it's essentially a ritual spell I'll need your help in completing - once it's done, it will bring you back to life if you happen to perish, but only once. Also, you will have to be in the egg long enough to regrow and hatch. This is no small favour on my part, and it won't work unless your soul can make it back to the egg.

Thirdly, after calling in several favours, I think the location of Eden is almost within view. A few allies will be joining us over the next week and giving us more information. Until then, carry on about your business, as there are some new things you'll have to get used to.

We're going to be organizing the Supervisor guided departments differently from now on. I have explained the details to the Supervisors, and they can fill you in on what will be expected of you. There will not be only six categories: Militia, Acquisitions, Engineering, Management, Administration, and Medical.

Supervisors, feel free to sound off with what group you are leading and what it is for.

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public channel | day 67

((OOC: Since Ginko and Tanyuu are both going to be talking in here, Ginko’s voice is indicated in green and Tanyuu’s is purple for readability.

For more details on the plot, please look at the OOC post!))

Hey, guys. Sorry to interrupt the camping trip, but we’ve got something of a problem.

You might have noticed some odd-looking flowers popping up around our campsites; those aren’t native to this world. They’re a type of mushi that have found their way here.

[~~And now that Ginko has a semi-captive audience--~~] Specifically, they’re kaoriyoroboki; these mushi blur the lines between people’s minds while they sleep, allowing them to experience and share each other’s dreams. Their presence allows people to sleep more peacefully, as well, which some of you may have noticed.

Unfortunately, long-term exposure to kaoriyoroboki while you sleep will cause the borders between your minds to blur more and more, until your identities and memories start bleeding together irreparably. Tanyuu and I are working on keeping that from happening, but the mushi purge isn’t quite ready yet.

[No one can see it, but rest assured that Tanyuu is shaking her head fondly at GInko’s rambling. Her brother...] It shouldn’t take more than a few days to gather everything we need, but in the meantime try to avoid napping too much. Symptoms usually only start appearing after a week or so, but let us know if you start to feel confused or misremember things.

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public channel; forward-dated a hair to day 67

[ There's a bit of a pause before Strange starts talking, as if he's not entirely certain what he's going to say. He sounds a bit tired, but awake enough to hold a conversation. ]

For those of you who didn't already know, I'm not dead anymore. [ pause. ] Which, I suppose, is obvious as I'm talking to the radio, but the point stands.

I'd like to speak directly to the Ringmaster, Syrlya, and Zangetsu, if possible. As for everybody else, can you please fill me in on what happened from the time I left with Ignatius to now? Don't spare any details, this will be written down for posterity's sake.

[ fun fact: Strange has ABSOLUTELY ZERO CLUE about the various levels of trainwreck that the fae party in the library + rescue missions + torture session were. ]

Finally, odd question, but did anyone bring any flameproof fabric?

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Day 64, Public Channel

[ After the Ringmaster's finished kicking everyone out and the tent arrangements are more or less settled... ]

So, I'm up. [ Short and to the point. ] Heard people were yelling at my nightrunners. You wanna yell about it some more, you can come yell at me.

[ That's it, that's the post. ]

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Day 61, Late Evening: Public Channel

This is Rita, here with Syrlya. We've got some things to report about a recent rescue mission, so listen up.

Starting with the [there's a pause and an awkward intonation when she says] good news... We got Strange back, but he's dead. [Said news is delivered perhaps a bit too flippantly.] He had a revival spell, which has been activated. He'll be back to annoying the hell out of all of us before long, I'm pretty sure.

We… also gathered some information from Ignatius. [He’s not going to say how.] It isn’t much, but apparently the Summer Court had actually been following the Winter Court’s trail of us into the Athenaeum. They have had a spy of theirs following the carnival for a few years now. We also know that the Summer Court has determined the Ringmaster as an enemy for the same reason as the Winter Court--the death of the Winter Queen.

[... That’s the good news! There’s no extra, unknown charges added to the Ringmaster’s criminal record! Just the known ones.]

After the questioning, the Ringmaster came and ate Ignatius. [Again, Rita’s tone sounds almost too casual. She’s too tired to worry about breaking any of this news gently right now.] He isn’t dead, though. He's... well, don't ask me. We'll have to wait until the Ringmaster feels like talking about it.

Lambert is… currently recovering, so until he is in a state to return to his duties I will be acting in his stead. If you have anything you wish to reach the Nightrider or Nightrunners for, you may speak to me.

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[Day 60, Afternoon]

[ By the time the radio turns on it’s about an hour after Lambert’s group has returned and reported their findings to the Ringmaster. Now it’s just a matter of letting everyone else know. It’s Syrlya who speaks first. ]

As most of you are aware, the Summer and Winter Courts have pursued the carnival into the Athenaeum and taken some of our people hostage.

[ “Hostage" is a nice way to say permanent enslavement.] According to the Scribe and Curator, the lifelike and antagonistic nature of the books found here is the library’s defense against intruders, and it is under our control.

And has been under our control this entire time. [Tyki’s voice chimes in, at this point. To which he’s not bitter at all about it. This entire mess could’ve possibly been avoided.] Our will has been controlling the stories to a certain victory each time we have been swallowed up by one. It should be comforting to know that they cannot use the stories against us. They have not been given these defenses.

If we cast the Fae into our own narrative, the magic should be strong enough to combat them. We will be bound to the same story, so we cannot allow them to turn its favor or-- [And this he sounds less certain about.] --break the confines of the story ourselves.

It should be noted as well that the story cannot be entirely unbelievable. To play the part, it must seem plausible. One cannot just snap their fingers and a fae is weakened, for example. Something like that will allow them to break the story. The narrative must be consistent and convincing.

[ The Nightrider finally speaks. There’s an edge of tension to his voice, but otherwise, he’s pretty composed. ]

The good news is, this means you don't have to be a fighter to help. Bad news is, we still have to figure out how we're going to do it, who's going or staying, and if we're dealing with the Courts together or one at at time. We need to come up with something fast -- I don’t want them to give time to figure out their own plans. Catching them by surprise is the best chance we’ve got, so working together in groups makes the most sense.

If you have any useful ideas, now’s the time to share them.

[ And 9S chimes in: ] If anyone wants to hear the exact exchange we had with the Scribe and Curator, I can provide a recording for your viewing.

I said useful ideas.

[ ooc: this is mainly an ic planning post! ooc plotting post to follow to organize things more formally, but feel free to threadjack each other, form up groups of your own, all that good stuff to work out where your character will be. ]

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(Public Channel; Day 60)

(Not many will have their voice accompanied by mouse squeaks. Hades is special.)

Do not fear the Darkness. All begin within it and all reenter it upon death.

(Is this in bad taste? If only he cared about such mortal conventions.)

Therein lies my domain and thus... (He shifts his mouse friend to his other hand.) I would know it best.

(Then there is a sudden shift in subject.)

Who is Papyrus?

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herbert west

[Public Channel | Day 59 | Again]

[People have got to be getting really sick of Herbert's voice, and of radio posts, but this is all he can contribute at the moment: subtly turning on his radio. He's not talking directly into it, it's a bit distant from his mouth, clearly, but he says, clearly enough:]

The Ringmaster ate the Winter Queen? How were we meant to know this exactly?

[And it continues on from this point.]

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herbert west

[Day 59 | short time after Gon]

[Oh excellent, another broadcast on the public network! Only this time, nobody says anything directly into the radio. Instead, it just starts picking up everything after this point.]

[And then a few minutes later, Herbert finally starts talking.]

I.....mm, another--

[He cuts himself off. He sounds a bit scattered. A moment later, he describes, fairly well, the location he and the remaining others are at.]

I think the, previous rusalka may haaaave, actually been a fae--we just met another called Ignatius--he took Strange...

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herbert west

[Public Channel | Day 59]

[Herbert's harried, hushed voice suddenly bursts over the radios.]

Some distance in, to the left of the entrance--Lapis has been attacked and I am...incapable? Of rescuing her? It's story-related, as far as I'm aware, not involving these, fae, following us. Even so! If anyone haaas some, constructive input, let me know.

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[PUBLIC CHANNEL] DAY 55 - OFFICIAL WARDEN ANNOUNCEMENT

[The announcement is made around lunch hour, so you better be awake.]

Alright guys, listen up. We got some news yesterday, and it heavily implied that we have a crew of Summer Court fae tailing us as we speak. We're scheduled to be here for another six days... so, in the meantime, we gotta stop things up a bit.

First up, no more solo research. If you're going to be away from the carnival grounds, make sure you're in pairs - or even better, groups of three or four. I know Psi always tells everybody to do this, but this time it's for real. I don't want anybody wandering out there by themselves.

Lets try to work it so that every group has at least one person with a quick travel ability. That means people who can teleport, travel through shadows, fly really fast, or whatever. The faster everyone can collect back at the carnival, the faster we can get out of here if something goes wrong.

On that note, leave your radios on. Radios are not optional.

Gongenzaka, Syrlya, Amethyst, Shura, Zangetsu. Spread out between any groups forming so that I can have a point of contact. It's your job to make sure that people get moving as soon as an evacuation is called. Prioritize running over fighting. There's no point in dealing with these guys if we don't have to.

...Lastly, is anybody compiling these stories? If you haven't made a copy of any relevant stories you found, do that now. If you don't know how, get somebody else to do it for you. We should get them all into a binder or something.

Anyway, that's it. Oh, uh... if you have quick travel abilities, maybe speak up here? I've got teleportation available for any group that needs it. I'm not picky.

[Feel free to mingle/hijack threads as necessary.]

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[Public Channel] Radio Mingle, Day 48+ after closing time

'evening, Carnival!

Since we'll want ta help each other out while we're out here in the stacks, 'n since not all of us have been here years or however long you vets have been hanging in there, why don't ya introduce yourselves before ya read off anything interesting ya've found? Seems like a good time ta get ta know each other, right~?

I'll start!

Shima Renzou, reporting! And rright nnoowww.. [A pause and there's a shuffling of loose papers, possibly being rolled on or swum through.] I've found the biggest mountain of old newspaper clippings I've ever seen. Do Fae have newspapers? Ah, some of it might be poems--let's see...

"A few young sages one bright day..."

'Sages' is promising, right?

"Disputed, doth an old tale say,
Which is the prettiest part of women:"

Oooh...

"Some said the cheeks, and some the eyes,
And so they sought the beauteous Lais,
And asked her to award the prize.
The lady said, perhaps displeased,
These thoughts I cannot understand.

"If you could have them where you pleased,
I wonder where you'd put your hand?
'Twould be, you would see,
On their..."

...Oops, ehehe! I can't say that out loud ♥

((ooc: Mingle! This post is for sharing readings with everyone--dumb stuff, little plot stuff, 'anonymous' CR-related stuff to accidentally embarrass people in the carnival if you've found something on them, whatever your character might put on the air. Thread jumping encouraged! Shima will respond to anyone to who addresses him directly, feel free to show up just to roll your eyes at him.))

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supervisor channel; backdated to s2:d1

[ 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.

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Public Channel | S2;D4

This is…Herbert West: a contributor to the recent cure as you may recall as well as…your new Doctor. [He pauses to let that sink in, sounding really smug about it.] The Medical Team is still, small but as more experienced members join it has become more…evident that we do not have the resources we need to properly, treat the Carnival staff.

Namely: up to date medical documentation on you all—now, I made do before with what I had, during the process of constructing the cure but those involved may recall being asked various questions, questions which would have been unnecessary had the previous department been keeping your notes on file. Perhaps medical files aren’t required by, magical zebras but they are required by. Me. It is considerably easier for everyone when all previous knowledge doesn’t leave with the former physician—I’m sure you can agree. [He’s trying his best to sound congenial, definitely, but it mostly comes off as stilted as usual…maybe it counts that he’s trying?]

Today and tomorrow, myself and Mr Okumura will be available to perform physical examinations; any additional medical history you can provide is, welcome, and if you would prefer to attend on an alternate date, contact me to arrange a time.

[And then because so many people here are damned word weasels:] I have to insist all of you show up. Even if you’re healthy. Especially, if you’re healthy to give us an idea of your baseline state but we will, of course, treat any issues you have. Understand, it’s for the good of the Carnival and everyone’s…future well-being.

[ooc: Make sure to help me out by posting anything you think of to the med tent info post. Also, Herbert is almost literally always in the med tent during daytime hours but let us know if you have an ooc preference for checkups.]

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Public Channel | Day B11, Morning

[Without bothering to announce himself, Herbert just starts speaking over the radio. His voice is, at least, pretty distinctive, soft and measured and nasal. Probably recognisable as the guy on the first cure announcement.

Who needs names anyway, right? The information is most important.]

The cure for the venom has been completed. For those with the symptom of petrification the procedure is, twofold: a single dose transdermally applied medication as well as a medicinal beverage—those not demonstrating petrification need only ingest the latter. The transdermal medication is formulated in the shape of a solid sphere that will dissolve and subsequently effervesce to distribute itself in water--ideally for use in one of the various, lunar spas for a period of no less than 8 minutes. I…would advise drinking the beverage either after or at least 6 hours before the bath or else, make certain you are supervised…

[Dammit, Lambert. There is so much alcohol in that half of the cure.]

I will be at the small cabin just to the left of the entrance for, those who want to collect their medication—someone will deliver it otherwise. I am, additionally staying on the radio to answer any questions you may have.

[ooc: The cure is here! It's... a weird herbal alcoholic beverage (THANKS, LAMBERT) and uh. Basically the Ectoplasm jelly bath bomb from LUSH. Please call Herbert out on accidentally inventing the bath bomb. The bomb is purple and segmented on the outside and smells of citrus. Once it's been put in water it oozes diluted bright green slime with magic sparkles in it. It glows slightly. The slime permeates the stone and gradually turns it back to flesh. The drink tastes like drinking a herb garden and alcohol. It rejuvenates you from the poison effects and also you'll get drunk. Sorry, kids. Medieval Poland.]

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[Day 5 : Public Channel ]

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!

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B1, Day 2 [public channel]

[ 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. ]