Come one, come all, to the greatest show ever. Try your hand at feats of strength, enjoy the sensual delights of the House of Pleasure, find the most rare items in the Bazzar of Dreams, and learn what the future may hold in store by consulting with the magical seer. You will be amazed at what you might find. Come, come, and forget all your cares at the Carnival.
The spirit of the dead changeling is drawn to this place
Does your medium have need of a spirit to 'entertain' her guests?
A humble assassin droid enters, looking for some meatbags to blast.
The spirit of the dead changeling is drawn to this place
Does your medium have need of a spirit to 'entertain' her guests?
The spirits of the dead are always welcome at the Carnival of Shadows.
I am really dead? I am truly a spirit?...
I feel both alive and dead...
I feel free...but not totally so. I still hunger. I still feel pain.
Excellent, yo will make a fine addition to my troupe.
"Perfect," Momus says. "We will bid our time and see how this plays out. Now leave me. I have much to do." As Ethisa leaves, the Laughing Man steeples his fingers and grins.
A harlequin-garbed man traipses in
Lord Momus your plans are near
To build a carnival of pain and fear
The goddess rises and the goddess falls
And chaos is the sweetest laughter of all!
The man trails droplets of water as he bows to Lord Momus, runnels of water pooling on the floor under his long feet.
"Ah, Giggler. My dark harlaquin, what do your visions tell you? Will the followers of the dark goddess succeed in reviving her?"
The harlequin man prances about
I've done my best to tip the side
To bring the threads to chaos' side
But there still is a gallant foe
Who even now still dams the flow
If evil is to win the day
Perhaps we should enter the fray.
The skinny dripping man giggles obscenely, bowing and scraping before his dread lord
Momus walks to the broken eyrine. "Her life has not completely left yet," he says. Bending over Ash, he smiles. "Pledge to serve me for ten years, and I will restore your life, and power."
Momus walks to the broken eyrine. "Her life has not completely left yet," he says. Bending over Ash, he smiles. "Pledge to serve me for ten years, and I will restore your life, and power."
"Why not? What's ten years," she says hoarsely, coughing blood as she tries to speak.
"Then let your life return," Momus says. "Let your power be restored."
Ash grins as her wounds start to close over.
I like you already. So, new evil master, what's the plan? What pain would you like me to inflict?
"What ever amuses you my dear," Momus says. "I wish to see how you will fit into our organization."
Momus looks at Ash for a minute, lost in thought. Then suddenly he comes to life again. "Maybe I should give you the new employee orientation. We at the Carnival of Shadows pride ourselves on giving people exactly what they want and the using that to corrupt and bind them. Do you see those harlequins over there? He indicates a group of child sized harlaquin garbed shadows. Those were once children. Their village was being devestated by plague and in desperation their parents begged me to prevent their children from getting sick. I did exactly as they wished, I transformed them into my servants. None who serve me ever suffer from disease. When the parents begged me to let them have their children bac, I did that too. Now the parents serve as a wonderful addition to Baron Quick's undead forces. Do you understand my dear?
A wide grin spreads across Ash's face.
Let me just take this opportunity to say, sir, that both as an Erinyes and a blackguard, I am honored to have the opportunity to work with you.
"I thought you might. All ready my agents are offering the allies of your sister their greatest wish."
"My lord Momus," the heron priest says, "The heroes have rejected your offer. However I did recover the item you asked for." Reaching into the fold of his cloak, he pulls out a still frozen piece of GDK's body.
"Excellent," Momus says. The Jack of Tears turns to Ash. "Now my dear, it is time for your first assignment. Go back to the Record Room and recover anything you can of the cloning machines that your sister's alter ego created."
"As you command, sir," she says with a mock bow. "But I don't think you're going to find much there. Wouldn't you rather have the schematics? I know exactly where I hid those."
"As you command, sir," she says with a mock bow. "But I don't think you're going to find much there. Wouldn't you rather have the schematics? I know exactly where I hid those."
"The schematics will do fine," Momus says after some thought.
"As you command, sir," she says with a mock bow. "But I don't think you're going to find much there. Wouldn't you rather have the schematics? I know exactly where I hid those.""The schematics will do fine," Momus says after some thought.
Ash gives a salute and a saucy grin.
Be back in a flash.
A raven flies in.
"Greetings, Jack of Tears. Long have I wished for an audience with you, but I have been delayed by the defeat of one who was both an enemy and an ally. I have heard much of you, and I am quite certain that you are going to be very important in the 'war' that we fight. Though I quite understand that you are busy, I would appreciate it if you would consider an alliance. We would both benefit."
A swirl of purple smoke appears at the Carnival. A woman appears out of the smoke.
Now what is that silly girl thinking? To run away with the circus?
Hearing the screams from the Fun House, and recognizing them for what they really are. At least this feels like a proper Carnival.
A raven flies in.
"Greetings, Jack of Tears. Long have I wished for an audience with you, but I have been delayed by the defeat of one who was both an enemy and an ally. I have heard much of you, and I am quite certain that you are going to be very important in the 'war' that we fight. Though I quite understand that you are busy, I would appreciate it if you would consider an alliance. We would both benefit."
"An alliance, of course." The Laughing Man pauses to think about it. "Of course we can have an alliance. I trust you as much as I do any of my Lieutenants."
A swirl of purple smoke appears at the Carnival. A woman appears out of the smoke.
Now what is that silly girl thinking? To run away with the circus?
Hearing the screams from the Fun House, and recognizing them for what they really are. At least this feels like a proper Carnival.
"Greetings Priestess," Momus says with an exagerated bow. "Welcome to my Carnival."
"An alliance, of course." The Laughing Man pauses to think about it. "Of course we can have an alliance. I trust you as much as I do any of my Lieutenants."A raven flies in.
"Greetings, Jack of Tears. Long have I wished for an audience with you, but I have been delayed by the defeat of one who was both an enemy and an ally. I have heard much of you, and I am quite certain that you are going to be very important in the 'war' that we fight. Though I quite understand that you are busy, I would appreciate it if you would consider an alliance. We would both benefit."
"I would be insulted if you trusted me more."
The raven chuckles."This is good, then. Be certain not to reveal my presence, and I will not reveal yours. I will offer aid, on occasion. It is agreed. Goodbye."
Vanishes.
Greetings.
It seems something that belongs to my Mistress has fled here. You cannot keep her.
Looks over at the Spinning Wheel of Death, where a maiden has been stuck with at least 6 throwing knives and is screaming for release. She smiles...
But, perhaps we can lend her to you for a time...
The skinny ragged man seems unusually animated, prancing about and chanting nonsense rhymes
A priestess and a harlequin
Did sup on squab for dinner
And though the bird was mighty fat
the dinner guests got thinner
A bottle, spoon and pot of sauce
went dancing on the town
The bottle tripped upon some moss
And dragged the others down
A braggart crowed up to the skies
That he was lord of all
But looking up with heedless eyes
He never saw his fall...
He twirls and gambols all about the Carnival, pinching prisoners and chucking the chins of the small shadow children
"Okay I'm back. Here's your schematics. Sorry it took so long. Stupid harpies."
Ash looks a little the worse for wear, and very much in need of a bath.
The raven flies in cheerfully.
"I have it. The way to ensure that the Jaguar is preoccupied, and a way to remove any danger of the enemy finding out about my existence. Heh heh..."
"Way to announce that to the world. Did they teach you that in evil villain school? Perhaps a form of advanced monologuing?" Ash replies sarcastically
"Way to announce that to the world. Did they teach you that in evil villain school? Perhaps a form of advanced monologuing?" Ash replies sarcastically
The raven frowns for a moment, then chuckles.
"All I plan to reveal is the truth, or most of it. Anyways, I have faith in the wards here. There will, of course, as the Jester well knows, be reasons for betraying me soon, but now is not that time."
"Peace you may find here, and solitude too,
But be careful what you wish for,
because it just might come true."
Momus smiles at his imitation of the Giggler's strange rhyming speech.
The harlequin pops into scene, prancing and juggling several cobra snakes.
A wasp did buzz about the land
In search of bread and butter
Her nest was broken by Death's hand
And eaten by another
"Oh, let me guess, someone hasn't been playing nice with my annoying sister's little friends."
"Your sister's friends have a lot on their mind right now," Momus says. "Maybe you should drop by and lighten their day. Don't you think they would be happy to see you?"
"Your sister's friends have a lot on their mind right now," Momus says. "Maybe you should drop by and lighten their day. Don't you think they would be happy to see you?"
"Ecstatic. They'd love a chance to finish the job they started earlier. Not that taunting them doesn't have a certain appeal." She cocks her head to the side, considering. "Very well. I will go and lighten their day. Annoying them will no doubt brighten my mood considerably."
"And when you return, perhaps we can find other diversions to entertain you," Momus says.
The skinny harlequin pipes up
Fallen angel, take me along!
I swear you wont regret it!
I can sing a funny song
To make your friends emetic!
The skinny harlequin pipes up
Fallen angel, take me along!
I swear you wont regret it!
I can sing a funny song
To make your friends emetic!
The skinny harlequin pipes up
Fallen angel, take me along!
I swear you wont regret it!
I can sing a funny song
To make your friends emetic!
The skinny harlequin prances after Ashaundra
*A young man, cloaked in shadow, enters the area, lead here by the Jack of Tears.*
"What is this place?"
"The carnival is a place of dreams and shadows. Everything you could ever want is your here, if you are willing to pay the price," declares Momus.
"The carnival is a place of dreams and shadows. Everything you could ever want is your here, if you are willing to pay the price," declares Momus.
"Price?"
"Of course silly," Momus says. "There is always a price for your dreams to come true. Despite my apperance, I am not a fool."