lostcarnival | ⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

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⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 138 - Day 152
Where: The Summerlands
What: The Ringmaster brings the carnival to the Summerlands immediately after being freed from Portland so that everyone can take a fucking nap. Her included.
Warnings: Individually marked! Most likely discussion of torture and trauma in here.

DAYS OF SUMMER↴

You made it! And things are back to normal... more or less. Upon waking, you will be greeted with a clear blue sky and gentle breeze – the carnival has found itself situated between a pair of mountain peaks, with great fields of flowers extending in the distance. In the other direction, you’ll see mountain-top cities and tall waterfalls accenting vast swaths of forest.

Some of you will already know this place. It’s the Summerlands. You game here once to rest in safety nearly a year ago, and now you’ve come to rest once again.

► WAKING UP: Shortly after the carnival arrives, the Ringmaster will send out a somewhat cryptic radio message - but her immediate location won't be clear. Whatever items you had on your person at the time the Severing was broken will still be on your person, including whatever clothing. All of the animals and pets of the carnival will have returned to the grounds as well, though they are currently free from their designated living spaces. Things in the carnival will appeared to have naturally aged a month, as if the carnival was been sitting here empty and waiting while everyone was in Portland. The lawn needs mowing.

► SUMMER CITY: After the Summer Fae become aware of everyone's presence, they will welcome you into their city. There are stairs that lead up the sides of the mountains, but thankfully there are also magical means of getting up there as well. The Summer Fae will be willing to help workers with the injured as needed, offering herbal remedies and healing magic to those that want it. You'll also be invited to join them for dinner, but they will not be particularly offended if they are turned down, for now.

► SUMMER PEOPLE: The fae here will mostly enjoy the company of any carnival members that offer it - it doesn't seem that much happens here besides day after day of peaceful meditation and relaxation. It is not uncommon to see Summer Fae spent days doing exactly the same thing, whether that be enjoying the weather, listening to music, or dancing - the day and night periods may be similar to earth, but when you don't need rest it can all blur together just the same. Some of the fae work on feats of agriculture or craftsmanship, and while there is no particularly need to work in this place, they take pride in the fact that they do.

► NEW ARRIVALS: Though the Ringmaster will not be offering much guidance for the first week or so, eventually the carnival will begin running for a few small performance sessions, off and on, as a thank you to their fae hosts. The carnival will also be open to receiving new arrivals during that period, and so there will likely be some newbies to train and get orientated as well.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"So your idea is that we are, in a way, turning into fae?" That's... actually not completely implausible. If fae magic specializes in transformation, it only makes sense it would result in an equivocal reaction. That actually is a little alarming after all, however.

"I suppose a better question would be: what is fae magic? They are not a group of people I am familiar with... is it simply that they use their magic in a very specific form, or is it some other thread of energy entirely?"

"More like we're turning into changelings, or taking on the essence of fae. None of us would ever be powerful enough to match a true fae."

Though as for Syrlya's question...how best to explain this. After all, Strange wouldn't consider himself an expert on the fae, despite the fact that he was slowly becoming one of the people who knows the most knowledge about the fae in the carnival.

"I can only thoroughly compare it to English magic, my magic. But it seems that all fae have some type of magic in them. All the ones that I've seen could perform magic, some greater feats than I could imagine. Magic is a part of their very soul, their very essence. If needed, Englishmen can get by perfectly fine without magic. I don't know if the fae could.

Of course," Strange starts again, after a pause, "this is all a hypothesis. I'd want to talk to fae from both courts before I make any sound judgements."

Syrlya's expression lifts a little at that, thoughtful. That's not such a foreign thought, magic being inseparably wound in someone's being--it's how the Sylvari were, after all, although they could get by without actively practicing magic.

Courts, though, gets a raised eyebrow. That's a largely human affair that the Nightmare Court adopted from them--and Syrlya assumed perverted, like they do everything else. Given they are equally familiar and unfamiliar, he's curious. "They separate themselves in courts? And what are these courts like?"

"From what I understand, the distinctions are mostly elemental. The Summer Court reigns over summer, plants, light, things of that sort. The Winter Court is ice and snow, shadows and colder temperatures. Then there's the Wyld Fae, who keep themselves out of distinctions and court politics."

Strange pauses for a moment before he idly shrugs. "Of course, to figure out an actual answer, it'd be best to ask the Ringmaster or some of the Summer Fae themselves. What I know I've picked up from various gossip."

"That is fair." Who better would know but the fae themselves? He expects the Ringmaster is busy, however, so he may just occupy himself with the Summer Fae once he's oriented himself.

"You have been here for a while then, haven't you? With the carnival."

"Truth be told, I've only been here a few months. Others have been here for multiple years. I'm just..." What's a nice way to say 'nosy as shit.' Strange pauses for a few moments before continuing, with a small shrug.

"Well, we're in an entirely new realm, barely anything like the worlds we know. Why not explore it and learn as much as possible?"

That gets a grin out of Syrlya. "I can think of no good reason at all."

Okay, he can actually think of a few good reasons. But does that stop him? Absolutely not. Where life goes, and all of that, and Ventari wouldn't have encouraged them to seek life to it's fullest if that didn't mean sticking your nose in everything.

"Is there a particular meeting place for those working as security? A base, or... small meeting room?"

Or is he anticipating more organization than is present.

It's cute how Syrlya thinks that anything in this carnival is remotely organized. Strange just kind of looks blankly for a moment before he desperately tries to make the carnival seem more organized than it actually is.

"At least for the Nightrunners, since most of our work happens when the carnival stops somewhere, we generally meet beforehand to decide what best to explore and learn about. Aside from that...I suppose the training ground is where we meet up most of the time?"

Strange shrugs. Sorry Syrlya, organization is not exactly anyone's top priority with regards to the carnival.

"I... see." Well, at least they have training grounds. Syrlya has been in both the most and least organized (and experienced) militant groups he can imagine. The bar is set very, very low for the carnival. "You said that Lambert is the Nightrunner, correct? Do you know who the Warden is?"

It'd be good to know how to find both of his bosses, just in case.

"His name is Sans. He's..." This is going to be awkward no matter what, might as well prepare poor Syrlya for this awkwardness.

"Well, he's a literal skeleton," Strange finishes, in a tone that's pure 'I know this is weird but just work with me.'

Syrlya stares for a minute, and then his eyes light up with recognition. There can only be so many talking skeletons, right?

"Oh, him? Yes, I've seen him. He really is just a skeleton and not a... Lich, or something of the sort?" That's still bizarre, he seems so cognizant.

"To the best of my knowledge, he's really just a skeleton." Of course, Strange had no idea what liches were to begin with. Even with his time in the carnival, he hasn't really heard anyone talk about liches or the undead that weren't vampires.

"Don't ask me how he manages to walk around and hold conversation for I've not the slightest clue."

"Magic, I presume," he retorts with a wry expression. Magic is the answer to just about everything, in Syrlya's experience. It's just a matter of identifying what kind of magic to use for your solution... or how much. "We must be suffocating in it, here."

Because although he can't tune to fae magic like he can Tyrian magic, if people are altering their forms just from exposure... that has to be a lot of magic.

Strange can't help but laugh at Syrlya's statement--it's a bright, happy laugh though, not anything mocking. "We are. The realm of faerie is simply overflowing with magic."

And he finds it amazing. It's just so much easier to perform spells here than it is back home. English magic...it's still a bit stifled. Magic's slightly been brought back to England, but hasn't come back the full way. But faerie simply bleeds the stuff.

"Of course, I'm not complaining. As a magician myself, I say the easier it is to access magic, the better!

Syrlya brings his hand up to the air, looking a little critical as he curls his fingers. Yes, easier access is phenomenal--provided the person using it knows where there limits are.

"I admit, I am having a difficult time sensing it." He can tell that there's magic there, but without the years of study it takes to develop a sensitivity--it's like he can't pick it out from anything else. It's a muddled undercurrent of energy he can neither quite see nor reach. It isn't like chaos energy, where he knows what every slight twist of every mesmeric spell leaves in its wake.

"Have you ever attempted to manipulate their form of magic yourself?"

"You are?" Strange is a bit curious about that, frowning slightly. "I can sense it clear as day."

Especially since he came back from Portland. Strange was always slightly magically sensitive to begin with, but since coming back, it's only become clearer. And sorry Syrlya, the question's going to be a bit nerdy.

"I believe I manipulate their magic whenever I cast a spell. After all, the carnival's stopped in places without magic and I couldn't do a thing then, though I can perform the magic effortlessly within carnival grounds. But I haven't tried techniques of faerie magic yet--mine remains quite English."

Syrlya scrunches his face, gesturing vaguely with his hand. "I can tell that it is there, but I cannot precisely identify it. It is like another language, one I am not certain I can make sense of it I try to speak it." He's certain he can still feel the familiarity of his own magic, so he isn't worried so much as he finds it very enigmatic to try and sense.

He lowers his hand with a small frown. He doesn't like the idea of going to a place where he can't cast any spells. "What are their techniques like?"

Magic's always hard to explain. Strange knows that fae magic is different, that it's not English magic, but actually putting the words to his thoughts is harder than expected. It's like describing music, or an artist explaining why they used one brush stroke instead of another: it just is.

Still, Strange is the sort of person to talk even if they have nothing to say. So, he gives it a shot. "English magic is relational. Most of my spells involve asking an element to do something: ask the water to show me an image, ask the vines to spread and grab someone, things like that. Sometimes it's a bit esoteric--after all, asking the mirrors to make a door doesn't sound like something mirrors could do. I imagine that eventually my spells could get to a point where a verbal component isn't needed for some. I'm almost there with fire, myself." After all, fire wants to burn and it's perfectly easy to make a simple agreement to let the fire do what it wants.

"If we're comparing fae magic to English magic, then the fae have already gone above and beyond me with regards to those relations. I have to ask the tree to bear fruit, the fae are already so connected with the tree that they simple think it. Likewise, there's some magic that I simply can't do while the fae can. I can't do any sort of magic involving the mind. For example, the fae can reach in and change someone's memories or their personality."

Strange looks like he can ramble on about this sort of thing forever, hypothesizing about magic until the day ends. He's a big ol'nerd.

Syrlya still listens attentively, absently resting his cheek against his fingers as Strange goes on. In part, it's genuinely fascinating. Magic is an incredible, phenomenal power and he wouldn't be as prolific a Mesmer as he if it he wasn't interested in what he was working with.

But magic is also central to the biggest dangers his world is facing right now, and more information can at worst only be inapplicable to their situation.

As Strange goes on, there's recognition that lights Syrlya's face and it draws out a small smile. "That's interesting. So it is like you are attempting to connect with nature while standing outside of it, while the fae are already a part of that nature?"

It isn't unlike the innate magic of the Sylvari verses the magical professions, even his own Mesmerics. "Would you say you are incapable because you do not know the spells, or because you cannot tap into the right form of energy?"

Strange mirrors Syrlya's small smile with one of his own. Talking magical theory is a hobby of his, but talking magical theory with one who can keep up with him? All the better.

"I would say I'm incapable because I don't know the theory. Half of my spells involve me using existing magical theory of my world whether in creating my own spells or modifying those previously made. If there was an English magician who managed to understand the theory of how magic can change memories, then I'm certain I could do it myself."

Strange explains this all in a matter-of-fact tone, completely ignoring the fact that he's putting himself on a pedestal and implying that he's hot shit. It's just the truth. If he knew the theory, he could probably do it himself, it's as simple as that.

Syrlya shifts on one foot, regarding Strange thoughtfully. If it's the lack of knowledge, and Strange believes he's tapping into the magical energy natural to the fae, then either his magic is closely related to that magic to begin with, or "English" magic is really just the name of a specialization of spells.

"Have you tried to perform any non-English magic?" He can say he believes he could do it, but has he actually tried yet?

"Of a sort?" Strange admits, with a frown. This is obviously a bit of a tough subject the way he frowns and stalls for a moment but eventually, he relents. "I was able to perform black magic back in my world. That's a different magic that uses blood and the strength of the magician instead of the relational spells that my magic's used to. And before you ask, I haven't tried it in faerie and I'm not going to."

That last statement is said far too firmly. There's no need to raise the dead when you've got the Ringmaster to do it for you. Besides, raising the dead in the peninsula was...harrowing. Strange absolutely does not want to repeat that.

Syrlya raises a brow. 'Black magic' has him curious, but he can see it's not a favorable topic for Strange. He probably doesn't want nosy questions about it... yet, anyway.

"But is that really different magic, or merely a different set of spells? I wonder how limited our ability to use one another's magic is if the base energy is of a different source." He could hazard a guess if he pieced together what he already knows about magic on Tyria, but Strange is someone already here who might be able to answer those questions, or at least give him a starting point, quicker.

"At least in my mind, it's a different magic entirely." But that small frown on his face tells Syrlya that Strange isn't too sure about it. It was still magic from the Raven King: a wilder and more dangerous magic, but magic nonetheless. Perhaps it's not as different as he thought?

"Here: tell me more about your world's magic, if it has such a thing. I shall try to replicate one of your spells and we'll see how that goes."

Syrlya chokes on a sudden laugh at that. He leans back to recover, waving a hand quickly to dissuade Strange from asking about the outburst.

"Everything about Tyria is steeped in magic. It is a force of energy just like the water and the air, and using it only requires that you know how to reach it, pull it in, and change it. That is conscious magic." The purposeful use of spells versus the magic engrained in someone's being, which is much harder for him to teach Strange.

"I can tell you the most about Mesmerics, but that is magic of the mind and illusions. We twist reality. Mimicking the spells of an Elementalist sounds closer to what you do, but I can tell you nothing of their casting." He shrugs.

Edited 2017-08-10 00:51 (UTC)

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hey who's ready for ME GIVING A TAG THAT'S 90% BULLSHIT

IT'S NOT LIKE CANON IS GOING TO CONTRADICT YOU \o/

WHOO HOO MAKING UP NONSENSE

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