⇨ THE CELEBRATION

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone, especially YOU.
When: Day 60 - Day 65
Where: The Celebration
What: The carnival workers are invited to spend the week within the realm of the Celebration, the grounds of a party that has been going on for centuries. Accommodations are luxurious, but those with keen instincts might notice something off about this whole arrangement... (Questions can go to the original setting post!)
Warnings: Booze, drugs, sex, and everything in between.

THE CELEBRATION↴ If you observe that the layout of the Celebration grounds seem inconsistent, then you would be correct. In reality, what lies at the end of each corridor depends largely on what the guests of the Celebration want at the time - if a few people find themselves craving a drink, a bar may appear. If a group finds themselves wanting to dance, a club will open up. This goes on at all hours of the night, and given how many dedicated partiers fill the building, the services are well used. It isn't instantaneous, and the Host has to consciously decide to provide that service, but the changes are fast none-the-less. ► ROOMS: Each trailer pair will be assigned a room to themselves - whether or not it has two double beds or a single king sized bed seems essentially random. Hopefully you aren't too sensitive about keeping that space to yourself. The curtains at the far side of the room don't actually lead outside, but instead to a walk-in closet filled with the Host's best guesses at the type of clothing you might like. They may not hit the nail on the head, but at the very least all the clothing will be in your size. The styles could be just about anything, from any universe, but they do tend to average out to clothing that is Earth-ish. Either that, or clothing that looks like they are meant for elves from a high fantasy novel to wear. ► SHOPPING: If none of your pre-picked outfits tickle your fancy, plenty of boutiques and clothing shops can also be found around the grounds - whatever you're thinking of, you'll probably be able to find a shop appropriate for it eventually. Though, maybe it doesn't really count as shopping if you don't have to pay for any of the things you take back to your room with you? Unfortunately, from the sounds of it, you won't be allowed to drag all of your haul back to the carnival with you, so you better enjoy it while you can. ► DINING: There is no daily schedule to follow, after you arrive. You are free to attend the dining room whenever you wish, and will be seated at large round tables with whoever else may be around at the time, and can either order from the menu or most dishes you may think of off the top of your head. If you don't like the fine dining experience, there are also a selection of smaller cafes and eateries that open and close at varying times of day - and, of course, you can always call for room service. ► ENTERTAINMENT: There is plenty of live music around the grounds (not that you can ever seem to remember who the performers were afterwards) whether it comes to harp music while you eat or a full set of DJs in the club you found. If you are inclined to look for them, you may also find some cozy lounges with big screen TVs, and access to a multi-universal quantity of films. What's there or isn't there is unpredictable, but if you come from a standard variety of Earth you probably recognize some of them. ► SUBSTANCES: You don't have to be coy about it - just ask one of your servers, and you'll be able to get whatever kind of vices you might be craving. Drugs, alcohol, ice cream... it's all good. If this sounds like a nightmare for potential addicts, you would be correct. It's not uncommon to see people clearly over-indulging in certain locations, though guests are usually escorted back to their rooms if they take ill - only to see them back at it again the next day. ► SPA DAY: If you'd like to take a swim, pools of various aesthetics are easy to find. So are hot tubs, and saunas, and Host servants who are willing to give you a massage or manicure. If the party crowd isn't your scene, there are plenty of more low-key opportunities to indulge. ► GREENSPACE: There is one park area on the grounds, which appears to be constructed on the rooftops of other parts of the complex. While there are trees and greenery, there is no real sky that you can see - only the illusion of one. It may start to occur to you over time that no window or rooftop actually leads to any kind of outdoors. The Celebration really is there only thing here. These are really just examples, and you can get creative with what kind of services you find offered while here, when it comes to generally mundane comforts. It really feels like the Host wants to win you over, as if you staying just a little longer has some sort of intrinsic appeal.

Comments

[atouts]

Even as Lambert encroaches on his space like that, Childermass is unmoved. The closeness hardly bothers him and he knows leaning away would only invite further loss of couch space. So he only squints tiredly at the other man, then glances up towards the ceiling as if considering an answer that's written somewhere up there. There isn't, obviously, but he's thinking.

"Context still matters," he concludes, looking down and at Lambert again. "But as I am able to use practical magic, I suppose I must consider myself a magician."

[whattaprick]

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Lambert drawls, reaching back over for his glass and lifting it towards Childermass and raising it in a vague toast. Most magic's impractical, as far as he's concerned, but Childermass does seem like a practical person -- so it's funny to think of a definition of practical magic outside of the sense he's thinking of it. Practical magic, like the sort you'd use for washing dishes and cleaning up messes, sounds exactly something Childermass would be good at.

"What's the hangup? You ashamed of being one or something?"

[atouts]

Lambert's damn lucky he didn't ask what the difference between practical and not was, because that way only leads to him going on and on again, likely not at as much length, but still. Childermass gives his head a small shake at whether or not he's ashamed by magic, of all things.

"Hardly," he answers. "But there have only been two officially recognized magicians in recent time and I am not one of them, nor do I expect I'll ever be."

Not that he sounds terribly put out by that fact. It just is what it is, apparently.

[whattaprick]

"'Officially,' huh? Sounds like a load of paperwork to me," Lambert snorts, shoulders shifting on the couch until he's found a comfortable position to settle in and he does, eyes drifting half-shut.

"If there are only two magicians in all of England, who the hell does the recognizing?"

[atouts]

"Parliament," Childermass says, but not without the biggest goddamn roll of his eyes that there has ever been. Stuffy politicians (even stuffier than Childermass!) deciding anything about magic, it's ridiculous.

"Although considering one of those two magicians spent an inordinate amount of time ensuring he was the only one about, it is not quite so shocking that there would not be more."

[whattaprick]

"If they don't know anything about magic, what the hell right do they have to decide anything?" Lambert is not magics biggest fan, but even magic has standards! England sounds less and less like a place that ought to have magic if it's going to be so backwards about it.

"I'm guessing that magician wasn't Strange." If Jonathan Strange had his way, probably even the pigs in England would have magic. Lambert props his head on a hand, rolling on his side to squint at Childermass. "The magician you said you served before, then?"

[atouts]

Childermass shrugs. It is what it is, even if he does find it particularly stupid.

"And you would be correct," he confirms Lambert's guess. "He and Strange had vastly different approaches to how magic should be."

[whattaprick]

"And which of them did you think had the right one?" Lambert asks, thinking out loud. "I heard he was Strange's mentor and there's no love lost between them. You said you left his service ... did you decide you'd rather work for Strange instead?"

[atouts]

"Both and neither," Childermass says in what can only be an incredibly unsatisfying answer. He does not side with one or the other explicitly and that's his way of saying as much. "I only agreed that magic must be returned to England, even if both had their own idea for it."

Asking if he decided to work for Strange instead, though, that only gets a shake of his head.

"And no. I always knew Norrell would the last master I would ever have." Well, almost. He pauses, thinks about that, before having to amend, "Mortal master, I suppose, now that I must take the carnival into account."