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After the catastrophe that turned the white hall to black, the sinister survivor has found himself a new home in one of the revealed alcoves. His long, spidery fingers are steepled before him. A carafe of wine sits indulgently at the center of the table. He doesn't seem at all intoxicated. There is a plate of shiny kulkul at his elbow that he is quietly picking at.

"It's almost time for the seventh selector to be chosen," says the survivor, "but you're no closer to deciding what to do. Tell me your plan, and I'll help you improve it."

She hadn't pissed off the Sinister Survivor (yet) to her knowledge, so he seemed as good of a place as any to start. Besides, he hadn't eaten a small bird. That was always a bonus. Sidling over to his small alcove, Autumn folded her arms and regarded the gentleman curiously.

"Plans, huh. So... here's what I've got." Her lips were drawn tight in distaste, as she had no further info to go on. No more tips to pursue without others' help.

"This is a court, right? And from what I can tell, Melany is its lead. Everyone in typical court dramas, all regency s**t, want the head of court's favor. I can't imagine everyone is thrilled that these duplicates are running around, getting all of Melany's love. So my idea is this. We demask the doppelgangers, and get other people to persuade the tithe-picking committee to tithe one of them instead. Get rid of one of Melany's pet boys, get themselves a better chance at her favor."

She glanced over, raising her brow.

"Kinda ******** up she only picked guys, but I'm alright with oggling men. I get it. Besides the sexism... thoughts?"

Shun wasn't sure if he should have approached the Sinister Survivor, but he wasn't near the rest of the lot. That was a bonus, he supposed. However, he was certainly guarded when the man requested to hear what plans he had. This was supposedly the most dangerous person around, and he certainly didn't trust him.

Time to be vague.

"We are missing a lot of pieces of the puzzle. As much as I would love it to demask certain individuals, it is best to focus on the potential tithes, or those who have been mentioned to maybe become one. Find out what there is to gain or lose with each individual."

alois scholz (unmasked) || 25/25 || hey you with the face

“Ze ******** do I care about your advice? I just came over here because I wanted your mask,“ he finished, tapping on its beak. „Melany’s going to haf’ me killed regardless, so if you’re going to pry about it, consider zis a last favor.

„I know Ezra is after one of ze deer triplets. I never heard him cite which one, but if I had to pick by man’s natif’e desires, I would say he’s after ze Sorrowful One. I also heard tell zat him and Melany are looking for someone wis’ human ancestry, but I cannot say who zat would pertain to here. Apeshit said zat Melany would let no one stop ze murder tonight, so… Let’s haf’ a murder. Zere are a few ways to go about it.

„My sought is, zere’s no way to win if you play house rules. We could play Musical Masks until we’re all blue in ze face but Melany will always haf’ someone to sacrifice. She might elect ze perfect person to ze committee, but wis’out having any way to know or influence zose on it, we haf’ less of a shot zan a felon representing himself in a court room. Numbers are on our side, however, and as we saw wis’ my earlier stand, no one came to Melany’s aid but her own servant. Not Adoelle, not Ezra, no one else. Wis’ a concentrated effort, all ze guests could kill her. And wis’out Melany in ze picture, Ezra is free to take ze Court as he sees fit, if zat’s what he’s after, or…“ He motioned a wave of the hand. „Regardless, ze primary sreat behind zis party is gone. It will take putting her offguard, however, and zat requires more careful planning.

„So, about zat mask…“

[25/25 | LEILA]: replying to the Survivor

"Plan?" Leila looked incredulous, then weary. "I don't know. I honestly don't know much about what's going on, but by now it's old news we can't actually stop this from happening. Having a plan sounds too much like deciding who lives and dies. I kind of wish I could just stay out of it."

nasir vasile || 25/25 || a plan???

"I don't honestly know," he tells the man in the plague doctor mask. "The professor and the detective are the ones who are really into this ... Wil and I just ..." Nasir fiddled with the edge of his veil. "We weren't even meant to be here, it was a misunderstanding ..."

The young man looked up at him. "I don't want to see anyone die. I would help if I could, do something. How can I help when I don't really have any power like others?"

"You're wrong on two important counts." The sinister survivor looks interested, but his apologetic tone makes it clear he doesn't really approve of this plan. "Most of the boys aren't Lady Melany's. And persuading the tithe selectors is verboten unless you do it very, very well. If you're sure you know who they all are, you should proceed. If you're not, I'd ask around a little more."



The sinister survivor hides a smug smirk at Nathaniel's idea. "These are the progenitors of those olden days," says the sinister survivor. "Sacrificing an innocent being like a sheep would be the ultimate slight to the Enemy."



"Well, I certainly can't help much with that," says the sinister survivor. "I'm not sure there is any significance to who gets sacrificed. You're welcome to try to take the masks of whomever you like, if you like. I wish you all the best."



"The scarlet foyer has a lovely wine, but this isn't very much a drinking party."



"I'll hardly give it away when you'll only lose it again," says the survivor peacefully. "I can tell you that once, a very very long time ago, the deer triplets were human. Somewhat. About half, I would say. But are you, yourself, not fully human?"

He pauses. "And calling Lady Melany the primary threat is granting her power she does not truly have. I would look more closely at her."



"Your complaints have been noted, and yet are so broad I can hardly answer them," says the sinister survivor. He sips his wine. "Perhaps there is a kind soul who can help you return to safety."

Whoever it is, it's apparently not him, because the next thing he says is, "I also think it's a mistake to assume there will be only one death tonight. There will be only one tithe, but..." He shrugs.



"I cannot help you stay out of it," says the sinister survivor. "But I can give you this, so you can pull another out of the frying pan." He pulls a mask out of... somewhere... and slides it across the table to Leila. "Do with it what you will."



"I find the assumption that there is a second path to be quite concerning," says the survivor, "I have been here for many years, and I have lived in blood and death, and I have found there is only one path through this night. Perhaps you'll surprise me."



"You are here," says the survivor. "There are people who need help, yes. Perhaps ask them, and not me."



"There's a way to ensure that," says the sinister survivor. "All you need to do is give her a mask, and she can no longer be sacrificed. The laws of good taste require patrons like her to remain off the tithe list if there is desire for her to live. Noblesse oblige."

algernon mercer || 25/25 || no real plan, only a goal

He hadn't approached this man yet in the evening, though his husband had. It seemed, for once, they were of a like mind on some things.

"I suppose I don't have a solid plan-" The professor rubbed a palm lightly along his own jaw, "Though I do have an outcome I'd like to see. A candidate I'd like to see offered up.." It would also solve a problem that he and Jeremiah had contemplated.

Alg leaned close to the Survivor and murmured, "Somehow, someway, I think Sunny needs to be the tithe."