lostcarnival | ⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 1

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⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 1

Who: Anyone, anywhere in Portland.
When: October 1st - 7th, 2017
Where: Portland area, in the new reality.
What: Memories begin returning to the displaced as the fall gets chillier. How the hell did we end up here, again? Also, apparently, the fair is in town.
Warnings: Individually marked!

PORTLAND BY NIGHT↴

Memory regains will come into effect at the beginning of October, to whatever degree you've decided upon, and may be regained at whatever pace you desire from then on. For those with their full carnival memories, it will be like waking up in the body of someone else - for those with half and half, it will be like rapidly recalling sets of memories from a totally different life. Those with full amnesia will simply feel as if this is how it's always been.

Unfortunately for you, memories aren't the only thing you have to deal with. The supernatural community of Portland is bustling all of a sudden - could your presence and these events somehow be related?

► THE OUTER CIRCLE: As of the start of the month, the Portland Circle of Enlightenment will find itself starting to get swarmed with members from other chapters. Most notably, it would seem that a small cabal of top mages from the North American Enlightenment Council will be making their home in Portland's HQ. For anyone but the highest of ranks, the purpose behind their visit will be unclear, but it seems like something is definitely up on a metaphysical level. The Circle will be buzzing with rumours of unique planar activity and threatening omens. It seems that it all started with an unusual flare of activity in the planetary ley-lines, starting approximately a week ago. However, even if you would usually be the type to keep tabs on such things, you will find that you oddly have no memory of observing this phenomenon yourself.

► THE ANIMAL FAIR: Good news, the fair is in town! Or, at least, it would be good news... if this was a regular fair. Instead, what's being observed is a bunch of nearly identical flyers, spread all around Portland - each of which bears only the words "THE ANIMAL FAIR", a seemingly bloody paw-print of unknown origin, and the directions to a vague forested location outside of the city. It's dated for October 7th, and all instances of its posting having been discovered with a scattering of rose petals, crow feathers, and pre-burnt matches laying on the ground around them. Most are taking this to be some kind of bizarre viral marketing campaign, but others may know better.

► THE EARTH SPIRIT: If you have connections to The Pack or any of its many variations, you'll probably hear whispers of something very odd that occurred last week - according to the elders, it sounds as if the Earth Spirit, the magical and spiritual center of the planet, has suddenly taken a wound. It's not clear why or how, but there is a fair bit of concern among spiritual types, as it is werebeast belief and nebulous magical fact that the magical forces within the earth are the source of all magic here, as well as the source of life. While many werebeasts claim to have felt the Spirit succumb, you strangely have no memory of such an event occurring. Though things do feel strange, if you know how to tap into the Spirit yourself.

► THE WAR CRY: Though Anath's rain of terror across North America lasted for the first fifteen years or so of the Severing, most independent demons have had enough time to start taking the arch-demon's relative inactivity for granted. For that first while, the warrior queen had seemed determine to rebuild an army on earth by forcing her scattered brethren into service - only for her to gradually settle down in a fortress somewhere in Texas and dig in her heels. Of course, this was too good to last - it sounds as if she and her demonic legion have begun tearing their way up the west coast, their goals remaining a mystery. Their destination, however, is almost certainly Portland.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Of course I know what's going on!" Strange snaps, with a frown. The implication that he's out of the loop obviously rankles him, to the point where he's...just kind of going to blab what's going on to Joker. (Or, at least, as much as he knows about what's going on to Joker.)

"Even an idiot can realize that the state of magic's gone weird. The Circle's simply investigating this metaphysical confusion."

Except for the fact that it's a bit more than that. The Council's here, the Council's gossiping about a warlock, the Council's doing something that's annoyingly hush-hush despite Strange's best attempts to scry and spy on what they're doing.

Ding ding ding! He loves the types that blab when you set them off just right- perhaps that's why he'd come to Strange in the first place, with the little video evidence just proving a nice jumping point. It's hard to restrain his grinning, but Joker's always had a great poker face since He first made him.

Instead, he rolls his eyes a little bit, just enough to make sure Strange sees the gesture. "'Simply', he says. Well, yer right in that this idiot knows that well enough, but if that's all it was, I doubt it'd be so weird."

Strange is being played like a fiddle. His fists tighten as he continues to glare at Joker. That eye roll has really annoyed him, more than the other man has realized.

"That is all it is. What do you want me to say, 'oh yes, there's a grand Circle conspiracy and with the Council's help we're going to bend all of Portland to our will?' There's just upheaval in the state of magic and we want to find out why."

"That would be a twist, wouldn't it?" he says, cheeky as anything. "But what's it mean when magic is upheaved?" Oh- his stare flickers down to all the books as something clicks in his head.

"That what this is all for?"

That's what some of it is for. If Joker looks at the books, there's some on exploring omens and negative signs, some on the nature of faerie contracts, some on older traditions of magic. It's as if Strange picked clean the entire metaphysical section and stuck it on the table.

Still, Strange is a lying asshole who hopes that Joker won't look too closely at the titles.

"Indeed. Granted, none of these are as useful as the Circle's private collection, but sometimes one must deal with...unconventional sources. Inspiration happens in the oddest places."

Good Lord. How long did it take Strange to just drag all of these out from the shelves? More importantly, why has no librarian smacked him upside the head for it? Still, since it looks like he's going to be here for a while, Joker perches on the end of the table and twists around to grab a random book.

Hey, might as well get to work, right?

"Yer tellin' me." He flips the book open. "So inspiration strike yet?"

As Joker sits down and grabs one of the books, Strange can't help but scowl as he tries to grab said book away from Joker. He's not doing it even slightly delicately, another sign that he is already on the library's shitlist.

"And what do you think you're doing? Wait until I'm finished, then you can borrow the book."

The idea that Joker might want to help him research never even remotely enters Strange's mind. No, he must be doing this solely to be an annoyance.

I mean, on one hand, he was doing it a little to be an annoyance, but he does have a life outside of you, Strange, gosh.

Joker lets him steal that one, purely because he uses that moment as an opportunity to grab another book. Sup, fucker, there's so many of these that he could literally go all day. "Yer not readin' them all at once," he says, "and it's not like I'm gonna steal it away from ya, bloody hell."

People have lives that he's not a part of? That's a weird concept, why would that happen.

As Joker grabs another book, Strange tries to yank that one away from the angel before realizing well fuck, he can't do this all day. He needs to read these, after all, not just hoard them and glare at Joker.

"...fine," Strange eventually admits, as he turns back to one of the books closer to him. "But I reserve the right to take the book from you should I need to cross-check something!" Or if he wants to be an ass for the sake of being an ass. Either/or.

"Yes, boss," he says, sing-song, fully reveling in his petty victory. It's stupid, but he'll take it. Casually, he starts to go through the book, glancing over anything that seems interesting or which might be even vaguely relevant.

"So were ya tryin' ta find anything in particular?"

In contrast, Strange has flipped directly to the index of one book and is going through it with a fine toothed come, writing down page notations in a notebook next to him. It's all insanely methodical.

"I'm trying to look up information on interpreting omens and magical signs. Generic things, really."

Just ignore the fact that he's got one or two books about faeries on the table as well.

Okay, but what if not?

"So do faeries usually have much ta do with omens?" he asks casually, flipping some more through the book before setting it aside to start on a new one.

Hey Joker, guess what, you're getting a death glare.

"There's some personal research in here as well."

The widest shit eating grin is sent back in return.

"Thinkin' of becomin' a warlock?" Yeah he's just saying that to be a douche.

If looks could kill. Strange looks like he's about ready to throw the book at Joker then and there. A brief expression of sheer fury passes across Strange's face before he composes himself back to simple anger.

"Don't be ridiculous. If I wanted to throw my life away on something useless, I'd take up gambling. At least with that there's a chance I'd win something." Becoming a warlock, how absurd. He's a fourth rank mage with the Circle of Enlightenment, why would he do anything stupid like that? Why would someone even joke about him doing something stupid like that?

"Just askin'~. Don't need ta look so scary on poor innocent me!" Good thing God isn't around, or else he'd be struck down where he stood for that sort of nonsense. Not that Strange doesn't look like he's tempted to do it himself.

Going back to his book, Joker hums. "Well, try not ta do anythin' else stupid. Things are lookin' weird around here."

And then a few days from now, Strange does something stupid.

Still, he can't help bur murmur a little in agreement. If even someone like Joker knows that things are odd (because Strange hasn't put together the whole 'guess who's an angel' bit yet), then things must be more odd and weird than expected.

"You don't have to tell me that. Any mage worth their salt's noticed the irregularities already."

Goddammit Strange.

"Yeah, but not just mage things," he hums, the rustle of pages helping break through the quiet of the library. "Have ya looked around town much? Everyone is gettin' all worked up."

"I have," Strange responds, with a nod. Again, it's not like it's a secret that everyone's getting worked up and odd things are happening. And if Joker wants to bitch and moan about these...well, Strange will happily join in.

"If it's not the omens and etheric irregularities, it's rumors of demons or all the other nonsense that's going on."

"Oh good, always get worried about how focused you mages get, didn't know if ya had or not." Joker grins, just a little, although it is definitely a completely legitimate concern in his opinion. Mages are the definition of elitist, and that kind of thing sometimes means aggressively ignoring what those furry beasts or stupid warlocks or ridiculous demons are doing.

Still, that does save him time. A small hum. "So ya think it's just rumors about the demons, huh?"

Or the lesser changelings. Strange has completely overlooked any sort of talk about the weird flowers popping up with regards to navigating the weird nonsense of Portland these past few days.

"Of course it's rumors. Why on Earth would demons make their way towards a Circle stronghold? They're not that stupid."

"Yeah, but it's because they ain't stupid that they wouldn't just wander on up," Joker points out, snapping the book he has closed. Nothing useful in it, at least far as he can tell. Ever so ~politely~, he sets it down by Strange's elbow and browses what else there is.

"Stronger demons, or more demons, could likely do a number on mages, especially if they're the sly sort. That's not even talkin' about if they've got any warlocks under contract, yeah?"

Urgh. Warlocks. Strange's nose visibly wrinkles at the thought as he closes the book he's reading and starts to flip to the index of another.

"It doesn't matter how many warlocks they have under contract. Warlocks are the magical equivalent of hitting something with a stick. They don't have talent or finesse and certainly pale in comparison to your average Circle mage."

In response, all Joker does is hop off the table- probably to Strange's relief- and find the biggest and heaviest book out of the whole lot. Assuming Strange hasn't latched onto it, anyway- he'll accept second best. With it, he swans right behind the mage and makes a slow-mo gesture of smashing its spine right into his temple.

No actual hit, of course. Since Strange is being so helpful and all.

"But they wouldn't need finesse, would they? Even small animals can get the jump on somethin' big if they get a little sneak attack, like so~." And he totally isn't just finding this funny to do.

Strange has his nose in a book so he doesn't really notice what Joker's doing until the other man walks behind him. Strange turns around right in time to see Joker pantomime hitting him over the head.

Surprising no one, he doesn't find this the slightest bit funny.

"We are in a library!" he hisses under his breath, giving the angel a glare. "If you're going to roughhouse, do it outside."

⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 1

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