FINAL TRIAL

[strangerpeople]

FINAL TRIAL

[The Strangers manage to escape. By the time anyone has realized they have left, the Analemma is already on a course to a new destination, one not intended by their Conductor-who was certainly surprised to find their ride gone, hours later.

Cardia has turned off radar and other equipment that would allow anyone to find the train easily. There is no barrier around this train, so everyone can see the Clockwork Sun as it gets closer and closer.

They aren't going to London, obviously. Cardia manages to explain that, originally, the Throne of Hours was located there, but after Victoria became Twice-Renewed, the Throne was ordered moved closer to the Sun. Now, it is connected to the station called Sunspur-a desolate place, formerly an exhibition hall, where only the Sun's engineers and wayward captains now go. No one dares to cross the bridge that connects the Throne to it, when they are there.

That will change, but not immediately. Even at top speed, it will take several hours for the train to reach its destination. Cardia suggests everyone relax in the Lounge of this new train. Apparently, this one was going to pick up its newest passengers very shortly, and so the bar and kitchens are stocked with food and drink, at least.

There is much to talk about. Much to look through, and much to consider. The past four weeks have been difficult to process, but the evidence from Perdurance has been especially daunting. It only shows just how stark the situation is-and it's up to the Strangers to figure out just what they will do when they do, at last, confront Her Enduring Majesty.
After all.

Whatever happens, a reckoning cannot be postponed. Not indefinitely. And the bill is almost due...]





[It's time! The objectives are simple in this trial: untangle the story of this place and decide what to ultimately do when they finally confront Victoria, the Mastermind of the Little Courtesy! It will not be easy and the truth, as ever, will not be a light one.

Will they triumph? Will they go home? What else might happen? What else could be in store? There's only way to find out!

Have fun, and good luck! And remember-

All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.]

Comments

[biddentodance]

When I brought up the bomb, Auntie was... Think she was trying to tell me how to defuse it. But December interrupted the communication. Broke the mirror, thanked my for my sacrifice... Didn't know it was-- Didn't know it wasn't from Auntie and July until then. Closest I've had to contact since was the scone delivery. [Which, that was weird???] Auntie and July don't seem to be sure I'm still alive.

Don't know if December is still out there or not...

[overworker]

Also... I encountered someone, while taking the liquid from the vat. A floating girl. She was small, and was wearing a black hood.

...she told me she'd answer my questions if I could catch her... but I wasn't able to.

She said... ah... "Still thinking you'll stop what we've started? What a fool. You're not the first person whose tried to play hero. You won't be the last. You'll fail just the same, you stupid brat!"

[otherworldlyking]

...Sounds like a pain in the ass to me.

[higanbana]

Oh, you too...? The man I saw lose himself, he called the Sun his "best friend," too.

[strangerpeople]

[It is a Bible...if your Bible was filled with stories of love and betrayal, which...makes sense, one supposes. The tales of love are said to be from the Bazaar’s Crimson Book. The tales of betrayal, not.

Some of them are very graphic and torrid and detailed as Caleb passes through them.]

[overworker]

I can't argue with you there. Whoever she is, she doesn't see us as allies, that's for certain.

But... it does seem to point towards the fact that there are others involved.

[charmingheroine]

[A pity that Charlotte didn't really bother looking through it herself, and that she's pinned down by two cats.]

Well, anything useful in there?

[otherworldlyking]

...So, someone could've came on by and suggested the idea of having this 'courtesy as these games to her. Then she could've decided she liked it and ran with it.

[ Though that is troublesome, if it wasn't just one person involved, and if that is true. ]

[technicolourdifficulties]

[Greeeeaaaaat. That's wonderful news. Absolutely fantastic.]

Well now, that's rather grim news. Nothing to go to pieces over though. In a way, it's nice to know what awaits us if our clocks get cleaned.

[technicolourdifficulties]

...I suppose cutting off her supply would leave her high and dry if that's the case.

[strangerpeople]

[As Caleb gets close to the end, he will notice a story called "The Actuality of the Fifth City".]

[technicolourdifficulties]

...The double-ghost - what was his name again? Well, no matter - did mention a mansion and referred to us as the "train group". At the very least, that suggests that the trains were not the first idea.

If others truly are involved however, we are likely a single group out of a number of others who are confronting a network of villains individually.

[eternaldivide]

[ ... hm. ]

Sounds similar to the floating girl I saw a few weeks back. Also small and wearing a black hood. She asked me if I was enjoying myself and if I missed my world. Told her no and her response was...

[ Give him a moment a lot happened the last few weeks including many many years of memories coming back. ]

I'll just stop here and tell you ... you don't have to worry about either of them soon. Not for much longer.

... Something like that.

[overworker]

And if we do not end it here, they intend to continue. There may be many more after.

[katzenpfote]

Jester would like some of this... perhaps I'll read some of these in more detail later - hm?

[What's this?]

[charmingheroine]

Not your fault. Wasn't ever your fault, not here and not there.

[He has Towa to support him, hopefully. Charlotte has the absence of a partner, and a headache that won't stop. Though - headaches - ]

That's gaoler's honey, isn't it? In those jars, I mean.

[overworker]

Unfortunately I didn't have time to even think about destroying them.

[In retrospect, it would have been a good idea to try.]

[katzenpfote]

Why probably twelve?

[katzenpfote]

She's definitely not our ally... or she thinks of herself as one and thinks a mercy kill is more kind.

[katzenpfote]

[He goes pale, making his beard and hair stand out all the more.]

I... I did that to you...

[overworker]

It maybe be one and the same. It certainly seems like she's been watching us for a long time.

And it sounds as though she knows more about us than even we can. But then... if she had some part in bringing us here, we may have been watched even before this began.

[technicolourdifficulties]

...And that we cannot allow. Too many stories have been lost already. We cannot allow it to happen to all of them.

[strangerpeople]

...AND THUS THE EMPRESS TRADED HER CITY FOR THE REVIVAL OF HER LOVE. SHE BETRAYED THE SURFACE AND HER PEOPLE, HIDING IN HER PALACE UNTIL AT LAST SHE ASCENDED TO THE STARS. IN THIS SHE BETRAYED HER DEAL FOR HER CITY TO BE PLUNGED INTO THE DEEP UNTIL THE LACRE DROWNED THEM.

SHE ASCENDED HIGHER THAN ANY HUMAN AND THE JUDGMENTS DEEMED IT BLASPHEMY. IT WAS DURING HER REIGN, THEN, THAT THE NEXT BETRAYAL HAPPENED, FOR THE SUNS ARE HUNGRY AND EVER DO THEY CONSPIRE...

[Keep reading?]

[eternaldivide]

... Between a mercy kill and the damnation like we saw prior I'd take the former. Considering where Towa saw her, I wouldn't be surprised if she had meant more the latter.

After all, once we were the Sun's best friends would we have really given thought to anything beyond?

[ The guy he spoke to certainly didn't seem to. ]

[katzenpfote]

Something about drowning in sealing wax... but she ascended, trading the city for her lover's revival. And then another betrayal, because the suns are 'hungry'.

[Of course he's going to keep reading.]