lostcarnival | ⇨ 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

I'm okay! [He sounds determined to believe that, anyway.] I should be able to get out of bed soon and get back to practicing. Are we still performing here?

Mmm, in a way. [Making himself comfortable, Joker shrugs.] The Summerlands don't really need too much, so they won't be too serious. Just the sort of things ta make sure we stay in shape, yeah?

But I'll be wantin' everyone ta check with Zecora ta make sure they're ready for it. Don't know what, ah... kind of weird things we picked up with... that.

[Whatever the fuck that was.]

... You've been with the carnival a long time, right? Has anything like that ever happened before? [Given everyone's reaction, he's assuming 'no'. But what would have happened if they arrived while the Severing was stronger, and their memories weren't leaking through?]

[....Well. Someone was going to ask it sooner or later. Joker's mouth twists a little.]

Nah. Sometimes our bodies have changed a little depending on the world- becomin' merfolk for Atlantis and the like- but.... Never our minds. Or memories.

Not like that.

The spell was supposed to make everyone outside, that world forget about it... how diff the ringmaster find it? [He doesn't really know how the carnival travelling works. Was it just a wrong turn...?]

We'll have ta ask her when she stops bein' an egg.

[Because that happened. Although Joker perks up a little.]

I wonder if we stayed there long enough ta chip a good bit off of our contracts...

I think it was about a month, and--wait, an egg? [What'd he miss while he was unconscious?!] What happened to her?!

Oh yeah, she burst inta flame and turned ta ash and there was an egg.

[You know. As you do.]

So... does that mean she's dead? [People should be panicking if she's dead, right?? Why isn't Joker panicked.]

I mean.... sorta?

[Yeah he's being way too blasé about this, whups]

But, I mean- she's done that kinda thing for other people before, where they were supposed ta die but an egg happened instead, so.

Is that how it works? [Now he's imaging the Ringmaster returning to them looking something closer to Gongenzaka. But that probably doesn't happen when it's her.] She's going to be okay, right?

It's how it's worked for other people.

Althought.... We might be here for a while in that case.

[Well... what choice do they have but to believe. Not that he looks any more reassured.] Hm.

How long does resurrecting someone take?

Ah, well... Zaka took around half a year, I think.

[SO... YOU KNOW...]

He was dead for that long?! [He failed to mention that part!!]

It's the Ringmaster, so... maybe she comes back faster?

[They're in a safe space now, but that's still a long time to be uncertain about what's going to happen.]

Maybe. [Joker can only shrug.] Although she must've used some power ta guide us properly ta a safe place like this...

Well. It's fine. The lady who runs this land is a love of hers, so we'll be fine no matter how long it takes.

[Well, makes sense she could navigate back to somewhere she's been before. He blinks for a moment as he thinks about that, before jumping up slightly in surprise.] Wait--the Ringmaster has a girlfriend?

[Cause that's really weird terminology to use for 'just friends', but somehow he didn't picture her actually settled with someone.]

[Joker can't help snickering at the small job, vivid pink eyes crinkling a bit in amusement.]

Well. They're certainly friendly if ya understand my meanin'.

... It's only one or the other, isn't it? [Either they're dating oe they're not, he doesn't know what other awkward grey area there is.]

I mean. Not necessarily. [Is he ready for the birds and the bees talk? Well, Joker guesses he'll find out.] There are plenty of folks who're intimate with people they wouldn't call a lover, yeah?

[Lucky for Joker, that talk isn't necessary. He just thinks so little about it that it takes some prompting to remember that's a thing.

He rests his chin on his hand and looks up with contemplation.] Yeah, I guess. What would you call it, then?

For the Ringmaster or in general?

Uh, I guess the Ringmaster? [He's not sure why that matters. Romance is so confusing.]

Who knows~!

[COMPLETELY. HELPFUL.]

⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

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