Lin's posts

"Hello? Is anyone there?" Velvet called out as she wrapped her arms around her body for warmth, treading carefully through the chilling fog. Cold night air seemed to run her through with each shaken step through the dark obscurity ahead, but she had to persevere. What ever was going on, she couldn't give in to hesitation.

"Vyctor? Dr. McMoy? Why'd you guys go and leave me behind?!" Stomping the ground with her heeled boots, she clenched her hands into tight fists. A reluctant sigh escaped her. "Of course I know it wasn't your fault, argh! It's all this f-ahCHOO!" She sneezed, and suddenly there was an explosive sound to her side. Startled, she fell backwards as a flock of crows swooped down from the cloudy skies above and began to circle around her, their cawing loud and aggressive. Their beady red eyes focused on her as if she were prey, her arms raised to defend herself.

After an unsettling breath, however, she realized they weren't attacking.

Velvet hesitantly struggled to a stand and brushed herself off as they simply watched. She blinked with a nervous scratch at her cheek, "Just noisy boys saying hi the only way you know how, huh? I guess you're alright if you don't go pecking at me..." She trailed off as they appeared to be flying in a singular direction before looping back with a curious caw.

She tapped her lip in thought, "Do... they want me to follow them?" Thinking hard for a moment, the lost fashionista decided to throw her lot in with creepy birds. "Bonus points if you lead me back to my friends," she said aloud but her message seemed to fall on deaf ears.

---

"No matter what happens," Lin began, "I will protect you, little prince." He placed a hand gently on Io's head.

The Oracle reached up to grab his arm as if seeking warmth. "You are continuing to give me nicknames even now?"

The Ringmaster smiled, "Now is the perfect time, of course!" He frowned just as quick. "We only have a little while before that bastard takes over, so we should use every bit of it."

"I suppose you are correct," Io took the man's larger hand in both of his, and held it with a nod. "You will ensure no one interrupts me?"

Lin gave the other's hand a reassuring squeeze. "Promise. Ain't nobody going to touch a hair on your head 'cept me, jellybean."

"I will hold you to that, should everything fall away from us."

Lin let out a laugh, "Can you even imagine nothingness? What a cruel punishment indeed! Nah, I swear I'd sooner die than let this moment go to waste."

---

"Lin!" Smolkie shouted. "Stop it this instant, I say! Miss Wattson is innocent!"

That voice. Beyond familiar and oh-so-irritating. It was like a knife through the darkness. Lin opened his eyes then and saw through his burning gaze a young woman squirming in his grasp. Velvet Wattson, she who assisted Arika days ago. He had his fingers wrapped around her throat, but the realization that life was ebbing from her face made him release his hold as if struck. She fell unceremoniously to the ground and gasped for breath.

"That's right, my boy!" Smolkie approached him as the others tended to Velvet. "You're better than this! Fight the dar-" He was cut off by the Ringmaster's whip cutting through the air and just narrowly missing him.

"Silence," Lin's voice came out a harsh snap. A lifeless rasp echoing the shadows billowing from his form. "You abandoned Io," his eye flared with energy red and hot. "When things grew difficult, you gave up. What could you understand of Cirque ad Infinitum? Of my family or the life of my Io? You had your chance to adopt him, to prevent Veles' evil, and you failed." He cracked the whip of fire and flames burst high in a circle around you and the group. There was no escape.

He held the whip in one hand, grip painfully clenched.
"I hesitated once, but I will not again. None of you shall pass while the Oracle's will yet struggles."

"The show is about to begin! Gather now, my good friends!"

ACT 6 HAS BEGUN...

RECAP OF EVENTS
All the NPCs have been helping the carnival troupe the last few days with their acts.
They get a day off on the Reaping Ritual to witness the main event, the gift exchange between Trick and Treat. However, during the exchange something horribly wrong happened, Trick and Treat are missing, and the the carnivals grounds look... Different.
All the exits are sealed shut and everyone is in a panic.

All the NPCs have gathered together to discuss. A strange man claiming to be an exorcist wants to help them. However, he senses a darkness present in the group… One of the NPC are possessed! But who?

MECHANICS
The possessed NPC must be found before they spread the darkness or cause harm.
Each round will last for 35 minutes.
The NPC will make their cases as to why they’re not the possessed at the start of the round.
The players will have 30 minutes to discuss who they believe it is.
The vote will be called for, users have 5 minutes to place their vote during this time.
To vote, send @Smolkie: I accuse [INSERT NAME HERE]
If the users select the correct NPC, the game ends and the users win. If the users select wrong, the game will start the next round.
Warning: There will be consequences for your actions should you vote wrong.

PRIZE
All participants will receive a Carnival Food EI, also available in Joyful Jamboree after the activity is over.

All eyes were on the Ringmaster, Lin, as he stepped forward into the light cast down on the vast stage.

"And now dear guests, fellow adventurers of this life so rooted in time unforgiving..." he began slow and cryptic, gaze swooping from audience member to audience member. "This is the moment you've all been waiting for! I advise you not to blink." He took an extravagant bow and vanished as the spotlights that were converged on him split into separate lights that focused on two empty spots atop the grand stage.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew over the heads of spectators and intensified rapidly to form what seemed like a whirlwind over the stage. The audience let out a collective gasp as children jumped and yowled in excitement. Hair and clothing whipped about as the unnatural force rested where the light settled. A female remained, beautiful staff in hand with colorful garb adorning her.

Simultaneously, the shadow cast by a support beam of the stage bubbled as if a black puddle. It then moved, to everyone's surprise, to the remaining light source, and the bubbling blackness swirled upwards to create a figure most terrifying. It was covered in a cloak that billowed over the floor, and held a massive scythe loosely in both hands. It seemed to be quite tall and lanky, but hunched over and careless in its presentation.

The female released her hold on the staff and it floated by her side. "Do not be alarmed, city-dwellers. My name is Treat, progenitor of the Reaping Ritual." She bowed her head slightly, "I am very pleased to see you all, and extend my heartfelt thanks for the help you offered my dear companion in his time of need last year."

The figure let its scythe scrape the floor, chains rattling as it chuckled deeply. "Mm, Voltra was deliciously helpful. Trick would've been in a bind if you weren't there for him, yes? Trick wishes to say..." Its voice was a chilly rasp and sent shivers down even the most endurant spine. "He appreciates you, yes. Each and every one of you, heh... heheh!" It turned to face a portion of the audience and they saw a mouth open from nothing on its blank face and express a wicked grin.



"My gift for you, Trick," said the witch with a smile, offering a tiny box wrapped in decorative paper and topped with a magnificent bow.

"Trick will never tire of this ceremony for the strange but... decidedly good feelings it does invoke in him," whispered the reaper with his unnatural grin. He reached for the present with long inhuman fingers in an almost surgical way, afraid his touch might destroy such a seemingly fragile item.

Suddenly, the spotlights over the outdoor stage blinked out. They were replaced by a crimson glow emanating from the raised platform people were gathered around. The audience made sounds of soft wonder, but Trick reared back in surprise.

From beneath the witch, strands of deepest black spun up from the stage and coiled around her like a web of vipers. "Trick! Trick, help me-" She was cut off as the tentacles clasped over her mouth.



"T-Treat!" The reaper went to grab her outstretched hand, but she was yanked downwards into the swirling abyss beneath the blood red light. "No... no! You cannot have her! She is all that Trick has!" He brought his scythe to bear with a reverberating echo of chains, eyes alight with sickly green flame.

A deep, deep sourceless laughter could be heard then by all in attendance, and a chilling voice seemed to threaten the immortal beings: "Don't worry, little reaper. The table wouldn't be set without both of you."

Trick released a bloodcurdling cry cut short by his forced descent into the unknown. There was stunned silence in the audience until a young man began to hoot and holler, "Those effects were freakin' awesome!"

Before anyone could reply, a black fog that had been steadily seeping over the stage and slowly creeping along the grassy fields blasted outwards in one powerful gust of unnatural wind. There were no screams despite the terrifying affair, but surely that was impossible?

When the fog started to clear, the shopkeepers met up and cast a wary gaze around the bleak fairgrounds. There were no humans in sight save for them, but above in the darkened skies? A thick flock of cawing crows flew in circles. Some perched here and there, but most were content to fly.

Vanora was the first to speak up, "So on a hunch, I'm going to guess all this isn't part of the show."

Vivienne shook her head vigorously, "Oh no, oh no, oh no! This doesn't look good at all! Where'd all the people go? What in the world's happening?"

"This must certainly be the dreaded arc wherein evil besets the heroes," Vontell adjusted his glasses with a nod. "We have to be strong, friends, else the darkness claims us as well!"

"I'm afraid it's a little late for that, my boy," said a voice unfamiliar to all but Van and Vivi. A well-dressed older man approached the group with a frown.

Vivi's eyes lit up in recognition, "Oh, it's you! Smolkie, the hypnotherapist!"

"Indeed it is! It's a shame we've met again under such tumultuous circumstances, Miss Harper. Before we catch up, however, I do say there's a matter of great import to address."

"Oh?" Velvet gestured to their surroundings, "And what could be more important than all this?"

"Welll... how do I say this," Smolkie rubbed the bridge of his nose with a sigh. "I suppose I'll just come out with it, hm? One of you has been tainted. Tainted by the darkness, I say! I can sense it and ohh... it's just terrible. Before we do anything else, I do suggest we, ah, find the one who has been touched by evil and, erm, incapacitate them before it spreads!"

"Whoa now," Vyc crossed his arms. "You mean to say one of us is not right in the head or somethin'? You just show up with that claim, man. What if this person is you?"

"It - it could be, I suppose, but I must assure you that it's not! I have naught but my word, you see. I urge you to trust me because I have the knowledge and power to exorcise that which has wormed its way into one of your hearts, but we must act now before it grows stronger!"