⇨ HEARTSTONE MANOR

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 170 - Day ???
Where: Heartstone Manor
What: The carnival arrives at the Heartstone Manor. Do your best to play along, and try not to get too far ahead of the schedule with threading if you can avoid it, in case something that would affect your character happens early on.
Warnings: Individually marked! Could be a lot of things.

BEAUTIES AND THE BEAST↴ When the carnival arrives at the Manor, everyone will be taken into the Throne Room to greet the Prince for the first time. He will be lounging on his throne, and will take a look at the guests that the Ringmaster has brought before eventually dismissing everyone so that he can talk to her alone. After that, they will be given a brief tour of the Manor by some of the servants, and then brought to their rooms to start picking out clothes for tomorrow. On the first night they will be permitted to wear regular clothes, but starting the next morning the dress code will be enforced. There will be a number of servants helping guests with clothing, and making alterations to suit the non-humanoid features they may have. The tailors work with fabric by hand, but their stitching is impossibly quick and accurate, with changes being made to complex clothing at unbelievable speed. Some guests may note while working with them that one of the seamstresses has wooden mannequin-esque hands instead of human ones, and another has two sets of arms. The arms are one of the most obviously inhuman traits that they'll see while first touring the building. Come the morning of Day 171, the daily routine will begin. ⇨ THE DAILY SCHEDULE ⇦ ► FIVE MEALS A DAY: Between breakfast, lunch, tea, supper, and evening drinks, the meals you are required to attend are frequent and long. Each meal (except drinks and tea) will have multiple rounds, and use all of the fancy cutlery. It will be difficult to keep up for those that are untrained. The food will vary greatly, but will generally to be palatable to those that are into whatever kind of food it might be. Some of them are odd delicacies that are very much an acquired taste, however. People who cannot eat will be given a pass once the Ringmaster explains it, but will be looked down on for it. ► DAILY ACTIVITIES: There are scheduled activities for every morning and afternoon, and everyone is required to attend. Descriptions of each activity are provided on the "Event Descriptions" tab of the spreadsheet linked up above. There is only one hour of free time scheduled per day, after supper, and beyond that the servants will almost constantly have you on the go. The Prince and Ringmaster will not be present for most of the activities, but they will be there for every meal. If you character refuses to follow the schedule or makes a huge mess out of proceedings, make sure to report it here. ► AFTER CURFEW: At 11PM, everyone is expected to return to their quarters and spend the rest of the night there. Wandering after curfew is unacceptable by the Prince's rules, and if you do it there will be the chance of discover. Based on your character's stealth abilities, there will be dice rolling to determine if they are discovered or not, and by whom. Make sure you report any after curfew activity to the mod post here. This can also take place as an investigation if they are actually looking for something instead of just farting around. ► ROOM AND BOARD: The servants will remain upbeat for most of the time the guests are here, unless something is done to provoke them. They will be present at every activity, and there will be a variety of different individuals. One frequently spotted character will be the butler, a man with dark hair and small, sharp horns. He seems to be the main organizer of things. ► ODDITIES: Even beyond the obvious, there is something off about the Manor. Doors, windows, and other household objects will sometimes move seemingly without cause, and other times there will be banging sounds in the walls, or mysterious voices heard at a distance. It feels like you're being haunted. If you have a moment to wander the corridors, then you'll sometimes see open doors abruptly slam shut the moment you lay eyes on them, and wall sconces turn off or on. It's weird, man. ► THE HUNT: The Hunt activity will have its own event post, and some sign ups for those that will participate meaningfully. There will be some dice rolling to determine who hunts the most impressive game, and rewards handed out accordingly. Before that post goes up, however, you can do some investigations for the start of the event, if your character is interested in looking into the specifics of the contest and overall context. MAKE SURE THAT ALL DECORUM VIOLATIONS ARE REPORTED HERE.

Comments

Readingggg

[soft_focus]

Reading time, starting just after breakfast and all, starts with Reira still quite stiff and pale from her usual meal ordeal. Perhaps Strange noticed, but more than likely not-aside from being utterly miniscule compared to most everyone there, she's been following the various rules with an absolutely eerie mastery.

While she's hardly in the other's light however, she is, right now...here. Holding a book no small child would typically hope to read, and keeping her voice as quiet as she can.

"....can I sit there," she whispers quietly, clutching the book like a safety blanket.

"...it doesn't hurt as much here."

[kingsroads]

What an odd question. It doesn't hurt as much? Whatever does Reira mean by that? "Of course," Strange answers, a bit confused. There's only enough room in the armchair for Strange himself, but there's another chair not too far from him as well as a smaller footstool that Reira could sit on should she choose.

It's then that Strange gets a glimpse of the title of the book Reira's holding. And also the size. Hmm, maybe they should find something more age appropriate.

"I can find something a bit easier for you to read, if you wish," he quietly asks.

[soft_focus]

Hoo, sweet relief. She'll be taking that second chair with relative gratitude, legs dangling off the edge as she cracks the book open. There's the first page, and....

...She blinks, genuinely confused and curious with the other's statement. "...Easier?" she asks, looking back to the book. "....Umnh... ....There's a few new words, but... ...it didn't look hard..."

[kingsroads]

"If you want to read it, then I won't stop you," he quietly continues. "But if you find you're having trouble with the new words, then we can find something else with more words you understand."

The biggest critique that Strange has had about his book from various other carnival members is that it was far too long and far too difficult to read at certain points. Well, that was just a sign of the times, which means that there's a high likelihood that these books also are far too long and far too difficult to read. He'll happily tell anyone else to suck it up but honestly? He doesn't want this kid interrupting him every few seconds to ask what a word means.

[soft_focus]

"There's a lot of words I won't understand. ...That's why I have to read what's around it. ...Because that tells you what the word means." Sound logic-some of the times, at least. She points to a distressingly complex verb, as an example, and-

"....I know that word. ....That one was in a soldier's paper. I had to read it, and tell them what the paper said, without getting caught. But..."

And now, to a simpler one. It's just the name of a particular toy-and yet that one, is the one she frowns at. "...It's words like that, that I don't know. ...I've never seen most things, so I'll just read until I know what it is. ...If I try to find things that just stay away from what I don't know, I'll never know, right?"

[kingsroads]

"You're right," Strange admits. Reaching over to his little notebook, he tears out a sheet of paper from the end, putting it in the book to serve as an inpromptu bookmark. "But I've found that there are two different types of reading: reading to challenge yourself and reading for fun. Which one do you wish to do?"

After all, if the kid wants to learn more and read more, then why not keep reading this slightly complex book. But if this kid wants to read just for the sake of reading, then they can find something a bit easier.

Reira's words about the soldier don't necessarily surprise Strange, but he is a bit disappointed. Not in her exactly, but in the fact that a small kid got swept up in war. Children occasionally did get swept up in wartime: when he was in the peninsula, the British army occasionally bunked at a small town. But getting swept up to the extent that this child was acting in that capacity? It's distressing that the war got to the point where that happened.

orz I probably should have seen this general stream of conversation coming ffff

[soft_focus]

It's about to get quite a lot more disappointing, Strange.

"...I don't know." A lot more. She tilts her head at the book, her whisper faint, but somehow as loud as a roaring voice for all the silence in the library. "...I'm still learning what things are fun. ...I think a lot of people here don't like a lot of what we're doing but... ...everything seemed okay, with the music, and things. ...That means it's fun, right?"

[kingsroads]

"If you enjoy it, that makes it fun." That's all Strange says on the matter, shrugging his shoulders like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

Though, he does take a moment to look around the library to see if anyone's going to fuss at them. He doesn't mind chatting while reading, but Strange knows just how testy some people can be with regards to it's supposed to be reading and contemplation, not reading and chatting. He's got a sneaking suspicion that someone might shush them or a servant might come to tell them to shut the hell up any time soon.

[soft_focus]

Hey now-pondering what the hell enjoyment and fun is, is absolutely contemplation. Also they're being very good at whispering.

Also those servants have zero heart if they've been keeping an eye on this kid so far and refuse a little bit of leeway for now. But anyway.

"...Mnhh..." She looks at the book, and at the page she'd started to read. "....It seems like I will..." And, well. She probably will. It's not exactly a book one would put at her level, but it is a rather harmless fiction at least.

[kingsroads]

Strange is treating the library like sacred ground. Mostly because if he gets the slightest bit sloppy or accidentally dog-ears a page, he can feel the judgement of Gilbert Norrell, his old mentor, from an entire realm away. Heck no, we're treating these books nicely and being as quiet as possible and perpetually being a bit worried that

"In that case, enjoy your book—and do feel free to ask me for any recommendations. There's a few novels around here that are from my time and I'll be happy to give you something that fits your tastes."

[soft_focus]

Fortunately, Reira's own 'duelist etiquette' keeps her from doing anything destructive to the books herself. Folding or creasing....it would be just as bad to do it to someone's cards, so she won't do it to any of these books. She turns her pages carefully, reading a little slowly, but not so slowly that it seems she's stuck.

She does of course, turn to Strange when he speaks though. "Umnh....there are?" ....And lo, another upsetting thing is due to be known.

"....Can... ...Can I know what all of them are? ....I only read papers, or cards and things, at home... ...So I don't know a lot of them..." Obviously she knows what books are. It'd just be silly not to.

But the fact is, she hasn't been able to really hold and read one that was fictitious until, well.

Now.

[kingsroads]

As he talks, his voice gets more and more excited and more and more animated. It's obvious Strange enjoys talking about books and, if unchecked, can give Reira a laundry list of recommendations. After all, Reira's most likely from his future and Strange doesn't know how much of what he likes will survive the test of time or be forgotten by history.

"Obviously I don't know all of the books from my time around here. But Austen's work is always good. 'Pride and Prejudice' is a perennial favorite, though I've a soft spot for 'Emma.' Shelley and Wordsworth are more poems than prose, though I'll still recommend them anyway. Scott's works are always good and apparently he's written more since I arrived at the carnival."

Strange turns his book slightly so that Reira can see the title: Ivanhoe, by Sir Walter Scott, a book that was published juuust a few years after Strange joined the carnival.

"If you want to read the classics though, you must start with Shakespeare or Milton."

[soft_focus]

"Hmnnhh..." She is, very carefully, making note of all the titles Strange is listing. Presumably they will survive, but even without that, it's more important to focus on, well.

Now. In this library. She looks over the title that STrange shows her, nodding. So...Shelley, Wordsworth, Austen, Scott...

"...Shakespeare and Milton..?" she asks, blinking. Something must set those two apart if they're 'classic', but what?

[kingsroads]

This must be one of those different worlds sort of thing. After all, neither Lambert nor Syrla knew any reference points for culture from Strange's world, that's the most logical reason as to why this tiny little child hasn't heard of Shakespeare. Of course, the other option is another logical one: she's a tiny little child and Shakespeare's a bit heady for a seven year old.

Strange is all smiles as he continues talking. "They're both famous authors in my time. Shakespeare's a playwright and Milton wrote a very famous poem."

[soft_focus]

It's definitely a little above her age level. But really, all of his suggestions are.

Fortunately for them both, she Does know what a poem is, or at least enough to...

...Well perhaps this Isn't fortunate, actually. "...If it's a poem though, how is that going to be a whole book..?"

[kingsroads]

"It's a very long poem."

Just said in a matter of fact tone. Surprise, Reira, poems can be book length.

[soft_focus]

"....How many pages long?"

Congratulations Strange, she's officially Interested. If anything, her voice is filled with wonder.

[kingsroads]

"I don't know how many pages off the top of my head, but I know there's over ten thousand lines in the poem itself."

How long? Damn long. And, at least Strange's tone of voice acknowledges that over ten thousand lines is damn long.

[soft_focus]

"Woahhhh..." That.

Is.

LONG. Reira, needless to say, is sold. "....Can I try reading that one first?"

[kingsroads]

"We'll have to find it first," Strange explains, with a little sigh. And considering how many books there are here...if the poem's even here in the first place, it'll be damn hard to find.

"The name of the poem is Paradise Lost, by John Milton. Do you want to search together or shall we split up?"

reira plz don't find and read paradise lost lmfao.....

[soft_focus]

"Umm....right." Well. She looks over the spine of her book momentarily, and then back to Strange. "....It'll just be on the cover, right?"

poor reira gets QUESTIONS FOR DAYS...

[kingsroads]

"It should be. If it's not there, look on the spine or on the first page of the book." Because sometimes books get rebound, after all. Though part of Strange wonders if the Prince uses this library and reads these books enough to necessitate something being rebound in the first place.

"I'll start looking on that end," Strange replies, nodding towards the far end of one of the bookshelves.

now we can keep going OR wrap up and start more things woaAAAooOOH

[soft_focus]

"Right." She'll follow a short way, and then start scanning once actually in front of some books then!

Hopefully, they find it.

Or at least, if she finds it, there's actually time to read it by that point.

let's start up something new! fourth-wallish perhaps?

[kingsroads]

And then they keep looking but thankfully don't find Paradise Lost. Strange gets distracted almost every fifth book. Reira is spared the nightmares and confusing religious metaphors. Go team!

Needless to say, it's getting near the end of the hour before Strange turns back to Reira with a shrug and a frown. "I've a feeling it isn't here."

YESSSSssssssssssssss

[soft_focus]

A true shame!

But....she does have a different book, at least. "....I found one that said 'Shakespeare', though. ....So....I can read that one, right?" Who knows which of his works it is (hopefully not a tragedy), but it's there.