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

...Wow that was. A crap apology. Worse than the letter he sent her, even. And Peridot knows a thing or two about crappy apologies, having penned a pretty terrible one once herself. The gem just gapes at him incredulously, speechless for a solid few seconds.

"That's..." How does she even begin to respond to this? "That's not what I-- RRRRRRRRGHHH!!" Peridot throws her hands out, claws tensed, like she's trying to throttle the air. She leans forward a bit on her perch, scowling at the magician. "How can someone get so close to the point and yet still miss it so entirely!? It defies probability!"

"I apologized!" he complains, with a roll of his eyes. "I said that your robots have use--I'll admit that they can even do things my magic can't." Which is a bigger admission that Peridot probably realizes, considering Strange's solution to almost every problem is 'can we toss magic at it.'

There are moments when Strange can be annoyingly oblivious. Unfortunately for Peridot, this is one of them. He gets why she's angry at him: somehow he didn't tell her the precise thing she wanted to hear. What he doesn't understand is what that precise thing is. Obviously it's something about her technology, because that was the biggest fight they most recently had. Strange rubs his forehead in thought, trying to remember minute details of a conversation he had literally over a month ago.

That's half the problem right there. Peridot has a near perfect memory, because aliens are bullshit, so she's kind of just convinced that Strange is an idiot or being belligerent and not making the connection on purpose.

Maybe... Maybe she should just let this go. She's been told before that she gets hung up on things that most other people wouldn't. Maybe she's obsessing too much over an offhand comment?

But it had been more than an offhand comment to her. It was a comment that had really, really hurt her in a much deeper way than he had probably realized.

On the other hand, she just doesn't have the energy for this right now. The gem sighs, her shoulders sagging wearily. "You are such a clod," she growls, turning away from him sullenly.

The other half of the problem is Jonathan Strange himself, a man who's a bit flaky and forgetful on a good day and is currently more than a bit flaky and forgetful due to the sheer everything of the past month.

Though, as Peridot slumps her shoulders and turns away from him, Strange manages to connect enough dots that this is more than just a petty fight. This was him saying something that deeply hurt Peridot and he feels like such a tool that he can't remember what it is. He pauses for a moment, desperately trying to scrape up the conversation from his memory (a petty fight, a lot of nonsense, she threatened him if he tampered with the obstacle course, and then...something else) before he starts to speak again.

"I'll be the first to admit that my memory isn't the best--and that's before taking the past month into account. While I might not remember what I said, if it made you feel this terrible then I am truly sorry I said it in the first place." That's genuine, at least. It doesn't excuse the fact that he's still drawing a blank on what the hell he said in the first place, but it might help.

Strangely enough, it does help. A lot. Peridot half turns back towards him, her ears lifted curiously. Forgetting doesn't excuse the fact that Strange said what he said in the first place, but this admission of fault coupled with an actual proper apology does a lot more to soothe her petty bitter rage than either of his previous attempts have done.

"It was about the vampires," she says when he's finished, supplying the barest information possible as she's suddenly rather dismissive of the whole thing. Like she's telling him just out of pity to let him off the hook for having to struggle to remember, but she doesn't care to dwell on the point any longer. "And... apology accepted."

The egotistical alien is cutting you some slack for having a garbage human memory, Strange. Don't screw it up.

As Peridot explains what his mistake precisely was, Strange can't help but wince. Ah. Now he remembers. That was amazingly thoughtless of him--especially now that Portland's behind him and Strange has a feeling he'd have an equally terrible reaction should anybody mention that.

He gives Peridot a weak little smile before changing the subject. She doesn't want to talk about this, he's not going to press about it any more. Let's...just talk about other things instead while Strange tries to find a way to cheat at climbing a rope. He tugs the rope experimentally, as if that'll give him some magical insight.

"Have you been out to the Summerlands yet? It's actually remarkably nice out there."

"Only briefly. I went into the city to gather some supplies," Peridot replies, grateful for the subject change. "Regrettably I haven't exactly been in peak form for exploring after the whole soul-stabbing thing. Why? What else is out there?"

She's watching him mess around with the rope as she speaks; not because she's looking for a reason to yell at him for messing with the course or anything, for a change? She's just genuinely curious as to what he's up to.

"Well there are some lovely fields perfect for laying down and reading." Strange continues to talk as he messes with the rope, unaware that this is rude as hell and Peridot should probably have his undivided attention.

What he needs is a way to make himself lighter. Maybe a breeze would work? Something to support his weight while he tries to climb the dumb rope. With a gesture of his hand, the wind picks up a bit, more of a gentle breeze than anything strong as Strange tries (and fails!) to climb more than two feet up on the stupid climbing rope.

The fact that he's still trying to make conversation while doing this isn't helping. "Apparently there are unicorns as well--I'd love to actually see one, but I imagine they'd be skittish if anyone approaches."

Being a near chronic fidgeter herself, Peridot's not too concerned about gaining undivided attention. She just keeps watching him, the question of what the heck are you trying to accomplish ever present on the tip of her tongue.

That last bit just gets Strange a puzzled stare. "...What the heck is a unicorn?"

As the breeze blows, Strange jumps on the rope, tries to climb a bit higher, makes it all of two feet off the ground before his grip slips and he falls straight on his ass.

Let's answer Peridot's question while he tries to regain a bit of dignity. "A unicorn's a horse with one horn growing from it's head. There's all sorts of myths and legends about the beast and I'd love to see if any of them are true."

Lucky he keeps talking like nothing happened, because she has to fight to cut off some rather rudely amused snickering at his blunder.

Anyway... She's seen a horse with two horns recently, but never just one. Interesting.

Peridot clears her throat after yukking it up a bit at Strange's fall. "A-hem. I see... So it's a quest to satisfy scientific curiosity, then! And what sort of myths surround these so-called "unicorns"?"

Still trying to look dignified and not like a man who just fell on his ass, Strange gives Peridot a small frown before he explains. "The horns are supposed to have magical powers, such as purifying water or removing poisons. They were seen as quite rare, mostly because it's such a bother to catch a unicorn in the first place. They're supposedly skittish and can only be pacified by a young maiden or a virgin."

He says this in a very matter of fact tone, completely ignorant of the fact that he might end up explaining the concept of virginity to a space rock.

"Of course, unicorns don't exist in my world. But since they do exist here, why not see if any of the theories are correct?"

Fortunately Peridot has been around humans long enough that the concept of virginity isn't an unfamiliar one, so Strange is safe on that front.

UNfortunately, he may have to explain something else kind of unpleasant.

"Interesting... so if you catch it, then how do you get the horn? Is it designed to be removed? Does it break off easily as a defense mechanism?"

Strange is a useless man who, while definitely educated, has very little in the way of practical experience in dealing with animals. As such, he has zero idea how horns work.

"I don't know? You might need to saw it off but...well, it's magical. I've no idea how magical horns work in the first place."

This is a mythological creature from his world, he has absolutely no idea how things like this work.

"Saw it off?" Peridot suddenly seems much less enthusiastic about this idea, her expression twisting up into an uncomfortable grimace. "Nyeh... On second thought. I wonder if perhaps it would be better to simply observe one of these unicorns for a while, before making any plans towards capturing and subduing one.

"You're right," Strange can't help but muse, with a little frown. Unsurprisingly, he's not too fond of sawing off a horn either. Though how best to observe them...

"Lambert and Yuya were able to spot the unicorns from a hot-air balloon ride. Should we try that first, or do you have another idea?"

Though really, between Yuya and Lambert and Strange and Peridot, the carnival's going to probably end up banned from those hot air balloons. And yes, Strange is already planning how best to do his and Peridot's grand unicorn adventure because obviously it's going to happen.

"Lambert and Yuya also crashed into a tree," Peridot points out blandly. "But if you're really serious about doing this-- which, it sounds like you are-- I'm sure that between the two of us, we can devise some manner of approaching the creatures on more equal footing. Do you have any spells that can assist with stealth, perhaps?"

About that...he doesn't really have any spells that could assist with stealth--unsurprising, as Strange is perhaps the least stealthy person in the carnival. That frown just deepens as he continues to think.

"I might be able to get us close to them--that all depends on what sort of water's around, of course. If that doesn't work, I can call up a fog which might help instead."

What is the point of the magic if you can't do literally whatever you want with it. She looks a bit unimpressed by that, but doesn't say anything on it.

"Getting close isn't going to do us much good if it's just going to sense us and then run away," Peridot sighs, drumming her claws on the opposite shoulder. "Maybe we can try to lure one in somehow...? I mean. What to unicorns even like? Aside from virgins."

"Well they are horses." Sort of. "Carrots and a salt lick, perhaps?"

Strange might not know how to deal with horned animals, but he at least has experience in horses. They're remotely close to the one animal he knows how to handle so dammit, let's treat unicorns like horses, who cares that they're most likely fairly different.

Though he does spot that unimpressed look on Peridot's face. Might as well make one last attempt at shilling Team Magic.

"If we get one relatively close, I can easily hold it still, so that's one less thing to worry about."

Well she knows what carrots are, but. What in the stars is a salt lick?

Questions for later.

As to his second point, she gives him a curious look. "Oh yeah? How?"

He could simply explain things. Or he could be a terrible show-off. Guess what option Strange is taking, hint, it's the obnoxious one.

With only a small little smug smile on his face, he bends down to the ground. While there, he clenches his fist around a bit of grass and dirt. As he does so, a small hand made of earth pushes forward out of the ground to grab onto Peridot's leg. It's grip is loose enough that she can break out of it: this is just Strange showing off his magic and being obnoxious.

"Like so."

If this display does one thing well, it's startling the heck out of Peridot. She squawks and practically launches herself in the air, nearly taking a tumble off of the bar she was perched on. She catches herself with her tail and clumsily scrabbles onto the next bar back, holding onto it for dear life.

"H... How did you DO THAT?" she wheezes, widened eyes flicking rapidly between Strange and the ground. SHE GETS THAT IT'S MAGIC? BUT. HOW...

Points for Team Magic. Strange can't help but look terribly smug as Peridot jumps onto the bar. With a wave of his hand, the earthen hand vanishes back into the ground, leaving a small mound of dirt where it came up from.

"Magic." No shit, Strange. "I asked the earth if it wouldn't mind holding you still for a moment or two. I've cast a spell of that sort before, in the peninsula, so it was quite easy to reproduce it here."

"You asked it?" She's just staring incredulously at the ground now, trying to make sense of that. "But... That's just not possible!"

And then suddenly, her eyes narrow with suspicion and flick up to bore into Strange's. "Wait a tick..." Peridot points an accusing claw at the magician. "I didn't hear you utter a single syllable this whole time! Which means you can't have asked it anything. TELL ME HOW IT REALLY WORKS! YOU LIAR!"

This is what you get for spooking her and getting her all riled up, Strange.

⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

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Finally, an appropriate use for this icon

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