Episode 9

Episode 9: Are You Afraid?



New place, new characters, new lore. Four new characters are revealed to be trapped in some sort of trial, different characters from the ones already seen. Four adventurers are locked away in some sort of carnival, headed by an Etheral woman and an eccentric Hyaenid who put them in a trance. In their trances, they are faced with physical and emotional trials that will push them to their limits. First is Gemevieve Amberstone, a crystalline, shy, meek, young girl who would surely drown if she fell into the large, open pool of water directly underneath her. Next is Taylansta Burrow, a half Etheral, half Kreolyn person, trapped inside a tightly closed coffin with xyr overwhelming fear of dying pushing xem to get out as soon as possible. Above them, left defending himself and a young child from a vicious panther on a bridge is Wood Taiji, a Velstran man carrying a flashy sword called Riptide to ward off the menacing foe. In the center of it all is Baird Stormcaller, a Pitbull Terrier Cavanid man, who can see this all happening around him, but none of his friends can see him. The trials are exhausting: Gemevieve is hounded by the Ringmaster, Sterling, who brings Gemevieve very close to her doom by drowning her in the pool. Taylansta attempts to scratch xyr way out of the coffin as it fills up with sand, but emerges victorious just in the knick of time. Wood Taiji successfully defends himself and the child on the bridge by killing the oncoming panther. Baird attempts to free his friends from their trials, with no success in sight, deciding for himself that the trials are all illusions and that everyone will be fine. While he is right, the four are taken from their trials and find themselves awake now in cages, taunted by Sterling and Euphoria, the Etheral and the Hyaenid seemingly in charge. Sterling approaches them, placing heavy shock collars around the necks of everyone and telling them they are now permanent members of the circus crew to be performers, along with another person who they have captured with them. Gemevieve admits that she has been living with Sterling in this place for five years, and was kidnapped that long ago from the Shepherd crew to be a performer in the travelling circus. Baird, Wood and Taylansta were sent by Methandi to go get her back, and it is still their plan to do so. The four of them start crafting their ideas to bring the circus to an end and escape to bring Gemevieve back home to The Shepherd.