⇨ 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

[diamondsare]

The Ringmaster certainly seems to have an eye for picking those needed at the right time. It is good you chose to come along.

[It is definitely a conversation that will need to happen, but Blue is dodging it as long as she can. It's easier to try to think of it as if humans were gems, and he's one of thousands of Shiros. She just needs to remember they're not interchangeable any more than her Pearl could be swapped for another.]

... I do hope it was of choice, at least.

[Around back behind the big top, there's even more tents. One does look a lot less frivolous and a lot more business than the others, back here..

Oh. That's actually much easier thinking of it that way. Many Shiros. And only one of them was hers.]

I have heard your people are much less happy when it is through other means. This one up ahead I believe will be your medical tent, as I recall most injuries should be of .. bladed weapons and fire. Possibly fae fire, though I do not know if that matters.

[lionson]

[Boy, Blue is in for quite the surprise whenever the conversation gets around to how there's thousands and thousands of any given gem.

But for now, he just shrugs.]

Eeh, mostly.

[He totally played games without paying and then got stuck here.]

It only matters if the magic lingers in the burns, truthfully. Dunno if fae fire does that here, but either way I can whip up some burn cream to treat it.

[He is a very competent doctor and takes pride in his work. Don't worry, he'll keep everyone alive.]

You didn't get hurt, did you?

[diamondsare]

I do not know. The matters of injury to humans or faefire are ... not fields I have experience with.

[Mundane fire she knew plenty about. But this whole magic thing was a new and alarming and interesting world, and it seems Shiro's at least passingly familiar with it. Good. More than one opinion on how such things worked definitely would help on getting a better grip on it.]

But I am also certain any and all help will be appreciated!

[Medics were surely in short supply all the time. Wasn't there another medic of some form? Blue really needed to pay attention more. She shakes her head when asked if she got hurt, that one's easy enough.]

No. By the time I reached where the fighting was taking place, it was over. Had I not stopped to see about finding my son a bit of a present I would have--

[Rin is not her son. This thought is shaken off quickly, eclipsed by an entirely different thought that brightens her expression visibly.]

Ah, might I ask if you're familiar with magic in general? Cursed items, perhaps?

[lionson]

[Shiro was about to say something to try to make her feel better about not reaching the fight- he definitely understands that feeling of wanting to make sure your kids are safe first, he is a father himself- but he decides not to say anything about that after seeing how quickly Blue directs the conversation away from that. He's perceptive enough to tell when someone is avoiding a topic, at least.]

Magic, hmm? Well, I know a fair bit about magic 'n curses from my world, and that might carry over to this one too. Or wherever we end up, I guess. But at the same time, it might not.

[He doesn't look too bothered by that, though. Shiro is nothing if not confident in himself.]

But it's alright, I'll figure something out. I'm pretty good at my job, and it's not too hard to learn some new tricks.

[diamondsare]

In that case perhaps later I could bring a certain item by? I ... acquired it recently, and it could be dangerous, though it does not seem so.

[She had something specific in mind!

And it was the aforementioned present. Although her emotions were also mixed on Rin, the decision to hand those bracers over had been made before she'd regained her memories fully, and she saw no reason to change her mind now.

As long as it was safe to do.

The tent just ahead seems ... rather busy, but there is a different air and even a different scent to it, faintly antiseptic. She stops not far from it.]

This is, I believe, where you will be needed.

[No maybe it's a bad idea to dally, or bring items over later on or anything of the sort. She needed to separate herself from her other-self's life, not dwell on things that reminded her of it!]