lostcarnival | ⇨ THE LUNAR SOLSTICE

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⇨ THE LUNAR SOLSTICE

Who: Everyone!
When: Winter Breaks: Day 6 - Day 25
Where: THE MOON
What: The carnival journeys to one of its moons to celebrate the Lunar Solstice. More information here.
Warnings: Winter fun.

MOON WALKING↴

The journey to the moon only takes a blink of an eye, but it leaves the carnival far away beneath you. The second moon can be seen on the peripheral, massive compared to its usual view. At least when the holidays start out, there will be no notable wildlife on the moon, though this is something you can talk to the Ringmaster about if you think it needs a change. It sounds like this is the first time she's used it in quite a while - it probably needs some dusting off!

Claim your cabins, and proceed to... well, do whatever you want! There is no rush and little obligation, besides to enjoy yourself. For real, this time. She promises there will be no vampires. Or, at least, none that don't already work for the carnival.

► CABINS: Living arrangements are character choice for this event, and there are a variety of cabins of various sizes, mostly built to house 2-6 people, though you can fit more in if you squish. They are all made of wood and of a rustic design - no fancy modern furniture, here! Each building is housed with a fireplace and the needed amenities. You can pick up materials to cook with the private kitchens if you like. Theoretically, you could spend the whole holiday sequestered away, watching the snow fall. Some of them also have outdoor hot tubs available!

► ACTIVITIES: Activities are mostly going to be character driven, though there will be some large group games like bingo and maybe a poker tournament happening at some point in one of the festival halls. Otherwise, there is a lot to offer: skiing, snowboarding, hiking, ice sculpting, snowball fights - it goes on! If you'd like to run a winter activity, just let the mods know, and we will get the word out there for you.

► FEASTING: Every day isn't a full-out feast because that would get a bit unhealthy, but there will be a number of specific feast events over the holidays where everyone is encouraged to let out their inner hedonist and stuff themselves. There will be one big feast per week, with smaller but also delicious meals offered in between. The feast dates will be B12, B18, and B24. There's also plenty of alcohol available for anyone who wants it.

► SHOPPING: As mentioned in the planning post, there is a massive market being run by the World Walker Caravan! The Ringmaster has given everyone 1250 credits to spend on items, but there is a caveat - must spend at least 500 of those credits on gifts for other people. And it better be a good one, if you only buy one! (She will ask that you do not buy her presents, however. She appreciates the sentiment, but it seems sort of silly buying her things with her own money! If you'd like to gift her, please have it be something more personal or handmade, but you are not obligated to get her anything at all.)

► TREATMENTS: The beginning of the holidays will also be about the time that the emergency Medical Team will have finalized their treatments for the Prince's poisoning. Watch out for further information on that - and make sure to get treated if you are suffering from petrification or poison induced illness! The holidays will be a lot more fun that way.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

At the sound of the other's approach, Solas shifts his focus from his fiddling to 9S. Human except-- his brows furrow as he takes note of the metal that appears to be peaking through and takes in Pod 153. Another strange device from the Carnival or one brought with him? Either way, he would rather have the learning process streamlined.

"For the moment," he answers and gestures with his hand towards his walkie talkie. "It is not something we have where I am from." As if that wasn't clear from the way he had been studiously examining it. At least it appeared to serve a similar function to message crystals.

9S' instinct on meeting someone new is to discreetly scan them, to get an understanding of what they are physically. The stranger looks similar to Taako with the ears, so 9S is expecting his sensors to report back something similar: some kind of humanoid being that isn't a human, despite the appearance.

"My name is 9S."

A YoRHa Number 9 Type S model. But it's painful thinking about YoRHa right now, so he leaves that part out. Fishing out his own walkie talkie he holds it up for the stranger to see.

"I can help you with the device if you tell me what your contract is."

He grins, cheeky.

Edited 2017-12-06 00:18 (UTC)

He's humanoid though he'd be offended if called such. He's an elf, ancient and powerful in magic. Although his fortunes would be brighter in that regard once he finished his contract here. A year and a day then he would have what he needed.

At the name, Solas raises a brow. It's stranger than anything he's heard before and he's met many dwarves in his time. Simple, at least. He wouldn't forget it. The exchange offered has him shaking his head, as if he would give that information up so easily.

"What purpose would it serve you to know?" he asks, watching the man carefully.

Yeah, he can't quite identify what this guy is, other than being biological. But if he's not a human, then he won't be afforded any additional respect. As long as he's not a gem or any other sort of alien that invaded Earth, then it's fine.

"Curiosity? And I want to know how long you'll be with us."

Not entirely a lie -- it's interesting learning why people are here -- but not completely the truth.

Curiosity he could understand though he sees no reason to give that information to someone he's just met. There was always Cole if he truly needed help learning this device.

"A year and a day, the standard length of a contract if my understanding is correct." And his tone implies that he very much thinks he is correct though that is hardly new. A partial answer, at least.

9S' smile grows wider, though the stranger's reluctance to reveal his contract doesn't go unnoticed.

"That's how long mine was when I signed up," he affirms, before reaching back to pluck his walkie talkie out from under his coat.

The walkie talkie looks exactly like some old world technology from home, but since it was the Ringmaster who created it, he hasn't been able to really modify it the way he would've been able to if it was actually technological in nature.

"To tell you the truth, I don't use this device the same way everyone else does," his lovely robot secretary answers for him, "but I can still run you through the basics." 9S shoots the stranger a sidelong glance. "If you won't tell me your contract, then at least tell me your name. We're all working together for the Carnival while on contract, after all."

It's a reluctance borne from so long of being careful of what he shared with others. It was a hard line to walk, but with someone new it was easier to set firmly. He nods and stands with his own device in hand.

His name, however, he could offer. He had the other man's after all even if it was strange. "Solas." His gaze shifts from 9S to the flying robot behind him. "And what is that, if you do not mind my asking?"

Because Solas has lived through a lot, but medieval fantasy has always been greatly lacking in robots.

Solas? A look of recognition flits across his face, though he doesn't say anything about it yet. The one who left Cole.

Instead, he turns look at Pod 153. Ah. He returns his gaze back to Solas.

"Oh, you mean Pod 153? That's my tactical support unit. It's a mechanical being that carries out tasks and functions to assist me."

Pod hovers a bit lower so 9S can pat the robot on the back of its boxy head, before the two share a brief fist bump. Pod 153 returns to its usual place hovering just behind his shoulder, saying in a robotic but distinctly female sounding voice, < Report: satisfied >

"Its AI," then remembering that he's talking to someone who couldn't classify his pod, he adds, "er, its ability to think and reason and feel emotions, I mean. Its AI is purely logical, so it doesn't feel emotions like we do."

The one who left many though Cole was one he genuinely missed. That the spirit was here was both a comfort and a concern for many reasons.

Solas stares openly at the hovering device. Enough of what 9S says makes sense that he can piece together an understanding. So the device served a purpose beyond following the other man around. He's reminded of the glint of metal he had seen on the back of 9S' legs on his approach and wonders if he may be a variant of similar creation.

"A living construct then," he decides on. Similar to a golem yet... not? If he is understanding correctly. It did look like something the dwarves would tinker with if given enough time. "A gift from your time in the carnival?"

9S shakes his head. "Pod 153 is from my world."

A world he hasn't yet decided if he would return to, after everything he learned at the ball.

"I was allowed to bring it, but only after I disabled some of its features." He gives Solas a sidelong glance before he continues, "Anyway, do you have any familiarity with messaging devices at all?"

He nods in both understanding of the answer and to the question asked. So he shouldn't expect more to be lurking around unless others from 9S' world make an appearance.

"I am, yes. Skilled magic users are able to craft message crystals that transmit messages to each other across long distances," he explains. He understands the theory, but his world is more magical than technological.

"Great! I hope it's similar. These walkie talkies look and function like technology, but I think they're actually magic."

If the walkie talkies were truly technology, he would've been able to hack them. Unfortunately, routing its functions through to Pod 153 is about the extent of what he's been able to do.

He comes closer so he can demonstrate with his own walkie talkie to Solas as he explains. "There's two main functions: transmitting and receiving. The device is always receiving signals unless you turn it off. If you want to transmit something, you need to specify who and what you want to say. The who is specified by a string of numbers. See?" He shows his screen to Solas, allowing him time to look. "This is the number for the public channel, so anything transmitted here will be received by anyone with one of these devices."

The line between technology and magic was already thin for him. That the walkie talkies blurred it by design was both frustrating and yet made perfect sense given the rest of the carnival.

He's watching the numbers change carefully. The basics are the same though it appeared this could be attuned to any number of individuals. "Is there a public record of which numbers are used to speak to who?" If so, would there be a way to expunge his? Though unless it was a medical emergency, he truly was under no obligation to reply to calls made directly to him.

9S shakes his head. "Other than the communal channels, which you can easily tune into if you do this," 9S demonstrates on his device, "numbers to individuals need to be given."

This is so old fashioned, really.

"My number's 81.93139, sooo if you ever need assistance..."

That is, surprisingly, a slight relief to him. That meant no one need know he was here unless they saw him or caught word of his name. With Cole and the Inquisitor already here, he wonders if others far less likely to stay their swords would arrive.

"I will keep that in mind," he returns with a small nod. His gaze drifts to what he had seen when 9S had first approached, the exposed metal on the back of his leg. Unfamiliar to him, but it made some sort of sense in the context of what had been explained with the man's flying companion. "Have you been injured?"

9S follows Solas' gaze. "Oh, that? It looks bad, but it doesn't cause me significant pain."

He smiles, though if his eyes weren't covered it would be obvious it doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"I'm an android, a mechanical being modelled after my human creators. So don't worry. Skin is less important to me than it is for you."

Solas takes a moment to consider this in context with what he's learned of the strange machine flying behind the man. More similar to a golem though sharing an appearance that blended in far more easily.

He's not sure what to make of the world 9S lives in.

"If I may ask, for what reason did humans make you?"

He wonders about that. At a time, his purpose seemed so clear. Now, he's not so sure. Nevertheless, 9S salutes, left hand over where his heart would be, if he had one.

"My role is to assist in the war against the machine lifeforms. Ever since the machines took over Earth, the humans who survived have been in hiding on the moon. So us androids fight in place of humans. I'm a Scanner, so I scout enemy lines and gather information, that sort of thing."

He's technically not supposed to be able to fight, but he can. Not as well as a combat unit, though.

"Once we eradicate the machines, the humans on the moon will be able to return to their home on Earth."

But he's considering turning away from that purpose. If only there was a way he could fulfill it without being YoRHa.

Edited 2017-12-14 13:24 (UTC)

"You were built to fight others similar to yourself?" he asks carefully, watching the other man carefully. If 9S were anything like what he knew of the dwarven golems then he doubts the android has any choice in the matter.

Trust humans to have to leave their world and struggle to retain it. No doubt they made the initial machines that caused their troubles.

"And what will happen to you once your purpose is fulfilled?" Because Solas sees a logical conclusion that does not look good for 9S.

9S' expression immediately twists onto a scowl. "We're nothing like the machine lifeforms! The machines don't have feelings. Their circuits aren't capable of complex thought and emotion."

But he knows that isn't quite true. Simone... Pascal and his village... Adam and Eve... What does it mean?

No, there's no meaning to anything they do. He has to believe that.

Calming down after his outburst, 9S answers the second question. "We'll enter a new age of peace," he says brightly, though his next words are slightly dampened, "There... won't be any need for soldiers like us."

He knows. He'd been looking forward to that not so long ago. Now that prospect feels like an existential nightmare... If androids would even be maintained after their roles are completed.

The moment of anger leaves Solas unphased. He keeps his gaze on 9S and stands firm.

"As you see it. For your sake, I hope the humans of your world share that view." If only because it did not bode well for the other man. Humans, as Solas knew them, were far too short-sighted to care once they had obtained what they needed. "And that you find a new life once you have found this peace."

Even soldiers had to find their purpose outside of the battlefield.

He might not be going back. The yearning for his home, for a clear direction, weighs in him heavier than ever, tempered only by the fact that if he returns and stays... he has no future ahead of him.

9S doesn't verbally respond to any of the statements, gaze sliding away. "Um, anyway. While I'm with the Carnival, I'm working in repairs," under an alien, ugh, "and as a scout. So it's not so different from home, even if the technology here is uh... it could really use an upgrade."

He hates to say it, but Peridot's work is the most advanced out of anything he's seen in the Carnival. Kind of shameful, really.

"Anyway, you better be sticking around." Of course he is; he's under contract. "One of your friends was really sad you left without an explanation."

Solas notes the aversion and wonders how the man will handle returning to his own world. A problem for 9S to solve in time, Solas had his own concerns to handle at the moment.

One of which 9S brings up and causes Solas' gaze to sharpen slightly. There were two that could describe and while he suspects it is Cole as the spirit has been here longer, the possibility that it was the Inquisitor is there.

"It was a parting I could not avoid," he returns. "If I could have said more, I would have."

Nevermind that he absolutely could have and refused to as it would ruin his plans.

Really.

But what he wants to know is, "Why did you leave?"

He'd only met Cole for mere minutes before he had to deal with trying to explain why a friend would just leave without saying anything, as well as Cole's existential questions. While he'd answered the second one fine -- thinking about what it means to be alive is 9S' bread and butter -- the first... 9S had been left trying to explain a situation he had no knowledge nor context of.

As far as 9S is concerned, Solas owes him an explanation for 9S trying to cover for him despite not even knowing Solas at the time.

Did this mechanical golem truly think he would get an answer to that question? It is not one he intends on answering beyond those he feels needs to know and 9S has not made it onto that list.

"That is my personal business," he answers curtly. "If you are finished--"

Then 9S was welcomed to leave at any time, friend or not of Cole's or the Inquisitor.

⇨ THE LUNAR SOLSTICE

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