[Can anything get worse than the attack already is?

The answer is a resounding Yes. (And that's BEFORE everything else, for that matter.)

When Carly comes onto the radio- public radio on that note, for while she would rather not distress everyone further, it's something everyone should probably know- her voice is tense. Low, and flat, and stiff, as it has been in the past when handling something relatively unpleasant...or when causing it, for that matter.

Which is never a good sign.]

...Herbert is dead, [Is what she starts with, not that there is much else to say.] ...I have what's...left of him, [She says, sounding remarkably calm outside the clear hesitation as she chooses her words.

There goes one of their medical staff, for the time being though.]

The Ringmaster has split into two selves. I've no idea where the second one is...

[ So hey, there's some bad news. ]

Anyone still listening, make for the temple in central Shabon. Some of us are trying to hole up there. If you're stuck and can answer, we might be able to send you help.

Oh yeah,

While we're all looking at our radios again, who all's still around these days? I think we picked up some new people at the last place somehow? I mean for sure we nearly lost some people! Like, Iggy-san almost died, haha... Anybody seen how he's been doing lately since he can't check in himself?

There's still something weird going around but it seems pretty tame in comparison, so everybody live it up a little while ya can! Any lovely ladies still hangin' in there are welcome ta come on a festival date with me~

((check in, tag some newbies if they show, free post. Shima will respond to anyone who addresses him.))


[PRIVATE CHANNEL for Childermass, Tyki, Peridot, and Amethyst]
Ah, also, it was a while ago but I had a talk with Strange-san about Ignatius' Heart situation. Well, mostly I told him Ignatius should go make some friends ta find the answer for getting it back ♥. He doesn't know who, if anybody, has ta do with looking after the Heart but if he actually remembers it after everything else, he might come yell at Childermass-san about the moon or something. Sorry about that!

So, anybody got any feelings on this project so far?

[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.

[ 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. ]

[ rhys is usually pretty good with electronics but it takes him a little bit of time to figure out how to work this thing. it used to be so much easier. hyperion was a lot of things but technologically deficient it was not. ]

So, I gather things are still going on. Or maybe they're winding down? I can't tell because I've been stuck here the whole time.

[ he was still hanging out at the carnival, staying out of things because this was all a little too much for a guy who still considered him new. ]

Anyone need anything from back here? Laundry? Food? Hugs and kisses?

[ there would be no guarantee that he'd give anything that he offered. hey, he wanted to look good, not work too much. ]

I've got calluses on my hands from all the sweeping I've been doing because there's really nothing else to be done. That's how bored I am.

[ so, come back soon, ya'll. ]

Hey, do I get to give myself a promotion if ya'll are too busy? I've been doing super good work!

[ quit while you're ahead, rhys. ]

[The Ringmaster is here to give you some information.]

It seems useful for everyone to know that the Blue Rose is currently trying to escape its container. It's not succeeding... but it is certainly trying. I'm keeping an eye on it for now, but my current assumption is that our assailants are somehow responsible.

[ 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. ]

[ The Nightrider’s message is brief and harried: ]

If you’re at the Carnival, stay there. If not, start heading back. Don’t go running off into the books like headless goats.

I’m going to look for the Scribe.

"With the power of the Silver Mirror, the Nephalem Lilith was able to create a realm according to their desires - a realm where the Beasts could devise the Soul that would lead them, and build a perfect world. While the rest of the multiverse spiraled into Chaos, Lilith aspired towards Perfection."

[ It had taken a bit to scour the book for any other bit of information once he'd gotten it back from one of the stupidest book specters he had to misfortune of running into but now that he has, here he is, reading the first bit over the radio.

Following that, he adds, asking, ]

Has anyone else found something regarding a mirror? I believe this may be one of the miracles but confirmation would be nice to have.

[ ooc, feel free to threadjack as needed ]