⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

[ringleaders]

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.

Comments

[amusicaladventure]

Doing what? [There's a little purr in her voice, quite literally, as she idly twists her torso to stretch out all those muscles in her back and sides.]

[insidescoop]

aaaAAAaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASHHH..!!

[SHE'S D A T I N G SOMEONE DAMMITTT!]

[amusicaladventure]

Hmmm? [She grins wickedly at Carly, interlacing her fingers behind her head now. Some things will never change, it seems.]

[fortuneglass]

Mnnnnhh!! How do I get you to stop!!!

[amusicaladventure]

[Ash lowers her hands slightly to give a broad, insouciant shrug.] You have a boyfriend, so you probably can't. Or maybe I should say that you have someone and I've been running without since I got here, so...

[insidescoop]

Mnnhhhh...Jack's my boyfriend, that's true, but I'm not sure how interested he is in.... [She starts talking before her thoughts catch up, and she quickly stammers herself into a silence.] MMNHHHH-! That's not important!!

[amusicaladventure]

Wait, really? I mean, I'm not one to judge, but I'm kinda surprised he can hang around you and not think a few dozen dirty thoughts.

[Wait for it...]

Speaking from experience and all. [THERE'S the terrible comment and the wink to go with it.]

[fortuneglass]

Jack is a very determined person! His eyes are set on a very specific set of g-

[NO!!!

NO-] AAAAAAUUUHH!! AAAAASH!!! [STOP MAKING HER GLOW ORANGE IN THE FACE]

[amusicaladventure]

Daaamn, Carly. Are you trying out for a new role in the place? "Beacon"? How far down does that blush go anyway?

[Ash flexes her claws at Carly, like she's going to rip some clothing to find out.]

[fortuneglass]

Mmnnnhh!! You're not checking!!

[amusicaladventure]

But how else will I ever learn? [She flutters her eyelashes at Carly, the very picture of innocent inquisitiveness. Ash is, as always, full of crap and deserves to be called on it.]

[insidescoop]

tTTTH-

There's plenty of ways, and they don't involve this!! [She shouts quickly, not really thinking about the implications.]

[amusicaladventure]

[Ash steeples her fingers, looking over them at Carly with a grin that couldn't even hope to pretend to be innocent.]

I'm open to suggestions.

[She's really glad some things haven't changed.]

[fortuneglass]

MNHNHHH.

No!! [N O] No matter what I say you'll take it a weird way!!

[amusicaladventure]

Weird? There's absolutely nothing weird about any of the ways I take things. Don't be so repressed! [Ash grins, not meaning any real sting in the words.]

[insidescoop]

I'm not repressed! You know what you do!

[amusicaladventure]

Oh yeah? You try doing it to me and see how I react, then we can talk about who's repressed.

[Not that Carly will, of course. Repreeeeeeeeessed!]

[fortuneglass]

H-Hey..!!

That wouldn't change it! You know it wouldn't!

[it would]

[amusicaladventure]

I know? How do I know? What wouldn't it change?

[insidescoop]

I'm not even talking about this any more! [She declares, huffing as her face continues to brighten.]

No more, that's it!

[amusicaladventure]

Hey, your loss. [Ash spreads her hands with an insouciant grin.] Well, okay. Also my loss, but I tell ya, in this place I'm starting to learn that's the order of the day, you know?

[fortuneglass]

It feels a bit like when anyone says 'your loss', they talk about themselves.... [She finds herself pondering, blinking a few times.]

[amusicaladventure]

Sour grapes, Carly. [Ash shrugs, because really, what else could it be? Though admittedly, Ash does indeed think Carly is missing out -- she knows she's got it going on.] Spare me my ego, at least! It's supported by the slimmest foundations imaginable these days.

[insidescoop]

AA-Aaaaaah, I was just thinking..!!! ...and seriously..? ...It's not because of... [...Ahh. But they just got off the portland topic, they really shouldn't go back onto it. Or onto the moving trailers topic for that matter...] ...well.

...Mhn...

[amusicaladventure]

Still, you gotta give me a chance to meet this guy of yours sometime. [That's not the roughest transition of topics in the world, and she's a little proud of the fact.] I don't think you've ever told me how you met him or anything.