⇨ 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]

What? [The very picture of innocence, Ash flutters her eyes at Carly. Her first change in this place is going to be a halo, you know.]

[To her incredible dismay.]

...Hey, you gonna stay on here longer than your year?

[insidescoop]

Mnn? My year..? ... [That's a good question...Huh.] Well... ...Jack started his contract sort of late into mine... ....so I guess I might...

[This probably isn't as difficult a decision as it seems.]

[amusicaladventure]

Yeah, that's a good reason. But what would you ask for? [This is really the money question. Ash is debating her own choices, after all, even though she has a while to go still on her own time. The thing is, what would she sign up for, when she could get almost anything she wanted on her own?]

[insidescoop]

Hmmmm... [Good question.] I mean, this year is for a day out with the Ringmaster...

...So I'll probably think of something~!

[She's easy.]

[amusicaladventure]

...Wait, what?

[One of Ash's eyebrows is testing the limits of just how far up her forehead it can go. A day out with the Ringmaster? What in the world prompted that sort of contract reward?]

[insidescoop]

...I said I'll think of something?

[Wat what is it-]

[amusicaladventure]

No, no, not that -- I mean, your contract is just for a day with the Ringmaster?

[Ash doesn't even know where to begin with this, for so many reasons. Did that even need a year and a day of service? The Ringmaster didn't seem like she'd be hard to catch for a day...]

[insidescoop]

Well....I couldn't really think of anything else I wanted for the third one, at the time, so....I asked if a day out could be enough.

...She seemed pretty excited about it, so I think it was worth it~

[amusicaladventure]

Huh.

[Well, that just goes to show that not every contract needs to be signed for something critical and life-changing. Even if maybe they SHOULD be.]

[Ash tucks a hand beneath her chin, tail gently thumping against a chair with each side-to-side swish. That gives her all the more to think about.]

I kinda want an excuse to stay here, but I don't have ANY idea what I'd ask for.

[insidescoop]

No idea at all? [Hmmm. She blinks.] Well...it doesn't have to be big, you know. Like for me~!

...But it could just be asking about what to do next, I imagine...

[amusicaladventure]

I'm not certain the Ringmaster is someone I'd want to take life guidance from. [Even if she privately admits she COULD use some life guidance. But from a powerful fae? That seems like so many kinds of disaster, she can't even count that high.]

[insidescoop]

What? Really?

How come?

[amusicaladventure]

Carly, we're talking about the person who thought the best way for us to relax would be to take us to a pleasure dimension which basically trashed our inhibitions and made us pleasure-addicts. Fae don't think like people.

[insidescoop]

Well...that bit was bad but...

Sometimes the advice is pretty good still!!

[amusicaladventure]

The Ringmaster can't tell me what I'm supposed to do with my life. She can tell me what she THINKS I should do with my life. There's a big big difference.

[fortuneglass]

...Isn't saying what she thinks you should do 'advice' in the first place?

[amusicaladventure]

Sure, but at that point, I'm just asking. Seems goofy to sign up a year and a day for something that's just a weird opinion, not actually -- you know. [She waves a hand, trying to pick a proper word.] Helpful.

[fortuneglass]

...I guess...

....It sounds like you just really want to make sure you get something for the long run no matter what though....

[amusicaladventure]

It's a year and a day, Cee. And not always the easiest year and a day, considering some of the literal hell we go through. And frankly, with my power, do you have any idea how much a year and a day of my time is worth? I could do anything, I could make millions, I could change the world!

[fortuneglass]

....

....But you don't know what to ask for... [You're looping back on this one issue a fair bit Ash.]

[amusicaladventure]

Yeah. That's what keeps me coming back around in circles. Honestly, I'm enjoying my stay except for the --

[Ash's ears perked up and her tail practically arched over her head the way it sudden rose up behind her in turn.]

THAT'S IT! [Forgive her volume, please.]

[fortuneglass]

EHHH!!? [Yikes yikes!!!] What, what is it!!

[amusicaladventure]

I'll ask her to make me immune to mind and emotion control! [That would be perfect! She claps her hands together, and it's only a measure of her insistence on boundaries that she doesn't just grab Carly in a hug.]

[insidescoop]

Oh!!! That is good!!

[Wait] Ah, but...

...Will she be able to guarantee it..?

[amusicaladventure]

I assume if not, she'll tell me. At the very least, resistance or time enough to get my own protections up is a huge benefit, so that would be pretty super all by itself.