[ota] have to believe we are magic

[kingsroads]

WHO: Jonathan Strange & you!
WHERE: various points around the carnival
WHEN: Days 33/34
WHAT: actually doing his job + failing a bit at magic + accidentally succeeding a bit at magic
WARNINGS: n/a!

in the main tent: showing off some
To the surprise of everybody, Strange is actually doing his damn job. Granted, his damn job of a magician instead of his damn job as a mercenary with the Nightrunners, but he's staying in the carnival for now, trying to keep an eye on Childermass as best he can. After all, Strange knew in theory that Childermass knew how to rest, but he wasn't entirely sure if he knew in practice.

So here he is, in the main tent, actually practicing. Sometimes you can find him just staring at a candelabra, as if staring will magically make it do something. Other times, Strange is actually working magic, as a giant top made out of the dirt floor of the tent spins around the stage, or animals made of straw prance around the area.

The most notable thing about all this? Strange looks downright relaxed as he works his magic, possibly the most relaxed he's been since he first arrived.

anywhere: like the one thing childermass is better at than him
Something's weird about that patch of shadows out of the corner of your eye. It almost seems like it's trying too hard to be shadows. The stillness is unnatural and you can't shake the feeling you're being watched. It's not changing with the light, instead the shadows remain just shadows, no matter what. Occasionally, facial features can be made out in the shadows, that of a tall, wild-haired man, concentrating very hard on not being seen.

And then the shadows sneeze. Whoops.

"Damn," Strange can't help but swear to himself as he suddenly becomes visible, peeling himself off the shadows of whatever building he's up against. He sniffles a bit as he carefully rubs at his nose with clawed hands. "I still don't entirely understand how he manages to do it so well."

trailer 29: sorry y'all his bad
Strange is in his trailer (which honestly, is a bit of a mess, with stacks of paper on too many surfaces, this is what you get when you give the eccentric a closed space.) He sits at the table, a candelabra in front of him. Match lit, Strange mutters something under his breath before he lights the candle.

What he muttered was a summoning spell, something to summon a faerie. After all, it worked back home, why not see if it works here, while they're in faerie. The worst that could happen was that it didn't work, after all (Strange has very low standards for 'the worst that can happen') So, as the candle is lit, you find yourself randomly in this guy's trailer...and wow, is Strange a bit confused at your arrival.

"Hmm. It wasn't supposed to bring in workers."

( ooc: so because I thought it's hilarious, I kept Strange's ability to summon fairies except, surprise, it's weird in the carnival and he's equally likely to have summoned someone tainted with faerie magic aka characters in the game. This'll default more to veteran characters/characters with more changes but if you want your character to have been pulled out of what they were doing to appear in some rando's trailer, I am all for that! drop me a pm or plurk @allikateor if you have any questions! )

Comments

[kingsroads]

Strange can't help but shake his head in amazement. He's not the sort to keep up with new and exciting technology...but man, this information about the future might make him closer to that sort of person.

"I doubt there's any way for my world to develop that technology faster?" said with a wry little grin.

[pipers_son]

Laughing, Joker holds his hand out and shrugs, a full body gesture that has even his wings moving to accentuate it. “Like I said- history isn’t my strong suit, and neither is technology or that kinda thing. If I knew, I’d probably tell ya.”

Messing up the stream of time is for people who aren’t Joker, who is trying to get away from England and that whole world as fast as he can.

[kingsroads]

It's annoying when you desperately want to know about your future but you're surrounded by either people who don't know much about the past to begin with, or just simply won't tell you. Strange sighs, a sigh that's deliberately sort of put-upon and a bit overdramatic.

"Watching and waiting it is, I suppose." And even though he's trying his hardest to seem jovial and calm, there's an obvious hint of annoyance in Strange's voice. He's terrible at waiting. "At least there's comfort in the fact that I'll encounter something like that eventually."

[pipers_son]

Unfortunate, but just how things are. Still, Joker takes what he’s said into consideration. A part of him almost wants to be helpful, say that the Ringmaster could probably help him with that, buuut…. Well. Childermass warned him about Strange specifically. Best not to give him too many ideas.

For now, Joker just asks something else. “So is it about the future that ya ended up workin’ here, or did ya do somethin’ else ta get the Ringmaster puttin’ ya ta work?”

[kingsroads]

"I suppose you could say it's about the future. My contract is for the knowledge of how my mentor performed a certain spell. When I return home, I wish to perform that spell myself. Doing so will certainly improve my future and my life back in London."

For a man who usually flits between things in a rapid manner, saying what's on his mind, it's obvious that Strange is choosing his words very deliberately. After all, the subject of raising the dead was taboo back home, only doable through black magic and even then, the beings brought back were monstrous. And yet, somehow, Norrell was able to bring back an Englishwoman from the dead with seemingly no ill effects at all.

That burned at Strange. He wanted to know how it was done so he could do it himself. And, if it took a year and a day to gain that knowledge...well, what's a year in the grand scheme of things? Not all that much to begin with.

[pipers_son]

That’s certainly a change, and Joker’s gaze gets a little more curious. In the end, however, the only thing he says is, “Well, best of luck ta ya then. Magic can be tricky, far as I know, so I can only imagine what has ya stumped.” He could add a lot of things, like how he hopes the magician doesn’t regret what he learns, but, hell. It’s already been done, hasn’t it? Best to just cross his fingers and wait.

Anyway, there’s something more important right now. “Anyway, think ya could let me go now? I got work ta be doin’, after all, and, heh, we’re short on help as it is.”

[kingsroads]

"Oh, of course!" Strange...has totally forgotten that he summoned Joker here in the first place, so the man's reminder spurs him to action. Walking over towards the lit candle, he idly starts chatting, explaining things to Joker.

"When I blow out the candle, you'll be returned to wherever you were before I summoned you. Hopefully you weren't in the middle of something important."

With a little nod in Joker's general direction, Strange blew out the candle.