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

[strangerpeople]

..."AND HERE IS THE KNAPT, WHICH SHALL CUT THY BREAST BUT DEEP, AND HERE IS THE WELL-SEED WHICH SHALL CHOKE THY THROAT, AND HERE IS THE DISOLVENT WHICH IS THY FLESH'S DESCENT BACK INTO MORTALITY, AND HERE IS THE BREAD WHICH IS THY ESSENCE, AND IN THIS THE SUNS SHALL FEAST AS THEY DID TO THE DROWNED MAN. PRAISE THIS BETRAYAL FOR IT IS MINE AND MINE ALONE!"

AND SO WITH BETRAYAL AND THE SCENT OF BLOOD IN HER NOSTRILS SHE BECAME THE TWICE-RENEWED, AND THE IGNORANT MASSES SCREAMED FOR BLOOD AS THE BETRAYAL OF THE SUNS WEAKENED THE FIRMAMENT...

[It ends here, save to say that "betrayal is the Forever Sacrament, and thus one day this book shall continue. Amen."]

[katzenpfote]

She betrayed someone to ascend... and became twice-renewed. It split the world apart.

... Thank you for this. I will read the saucy bits later, ja? Finishing a book only takes me about an hour.

[charmingheroine]

[It's the sort of thing that might have made Charlotte smile, a few short weeks ago. He is trying. As though she didn't show them all how broken she's become, as though she isn't an acceptable casualty to at least a myriad-in-one of them now, he's trying.]

It doesn't make sense. Not. Not you, the book. But nothing here does.

[katzenpfote]

It makes a certain amount of sense to me. She made a deal with a powerful extraplanar being, completed a powerful ritual, and gained more power.

So the question we must ask is this: where is her lover now?

[otherworldlyking]

Probably dead.

[ ... okay that was a guess but he took what'd probably be the worst one and ran with it. ]

[katzenpfote]

Someone with that much power wouldn't let that happen.

I know I wouldn't.

[eternaldivide]

.... You'd be surprised. No matter how powerful you are... it doesn't mean everything will work in your favor.

[katzenpfote]

Oh, I know. I simply think there's a good chance he isn't. That much power would make you go insane either way.

[eternaldivide]

[ he laughs a little bitterly at that ]

So I've heard.

Well ... regardless it sounds like it wasn't a single occurrence. You have the first revival, which was a loved one for the city, and then a second one from the Moonlight Lover... the loved one for a world. With betrayals happening after each revival.

... Though this is all what I assume from what your summaries to Charlotte.

[katzenpfote]

So this is a person who took over power from the previous one, it is safe to assume... we need to figure out the third.

City... world... worlds?

[biddentodance]

Dead sounds too simple. "Sapphir'd" - that's the Judgement ruling over the dead. Their hunger fits with the visions I had from the needle...

[katzenpfote]

Locked away, maybe?

[biddentodance]

Maybe....sealed somewhere. But seals can break...

[katzenpfote]

And they can be broken.

[biddentodance]

Question is if it's one we want broken, or one we definitely want intact. ...if it's a seal.

[katzenpfote]

We need to know exactly what we're dealing with, in that case.

[higanbana]

Wait. Wait...

Perhaps this is... a bit out there... but. We questioned where the lover was now... and if the Moonlight Lover is our Twice-Renewed...

The Twice-Renewed moved her Throne closer to the Sun, didn't she? And all of the people at that awful party kept referring to the sun as if it was someone they knew.

...Can we be absolutely certain the Sun itself is not her lover?

[katzenpfote]

... I think you might be right.

So the next question: Who is Misericordia?

[higanbana]

That, I don't know.

If she who betrayed our Moonlight Lover is anything like her predecessor, though, that middle name is a clue. Have we encountered anyone, or heard tell of anyone, whom we might be able to fit into such a name?

[katzenpfote]

Misericordia... Erica... Rika?

[higanbana]

Erica was the Twice-Renewed, so I do believe she – Rika – is our Moonlight Lover.

I believe Misericordia is someone else entirely, who usurped the name and throne from our Rika. So, the question is where the name "Misericordia" came from, that should point to who our Thrice-Renewed is.

[katzenpfote]

It was just a thought... I'm trying to figure it out... hm.

[higanbana]

We understand. There is a lot to sort through.