lostcarnival | ⇨ WISMUTH

Who: Everyone!
When: S2:D6-D11
Where: Wismuth and the Carnival Grounds
What: The carnival enjoys a few days in Wismuth, a coastal city on this planet's version of the American east. However, there are a few things very unique about this version of the planet...
Warnings: The usual, wholesome fun.

PILLAR OF CREATION↴

Upon arriving, things in Wismuth will seem pretty peaceful. It's a massive city, with no shortage of things going on, but things like violent crime and homelessness are at an all time low. You can wander the streets without much scrutiny, presumed to just be tourists, and most people here come across as helpful and friendly.

► VIBRANCY: The main thing that sets this planet apart is its vibrancy - AKA, the raw creative energy its filled with, flowing from its status as a Pillar of Creation. There is no literal pillar, but Wismuth and its planet is a place where Creation's energy comes through strongest. As a result, everything here feels somehow more real, more intense in a way that's hard to put a finger on. Life is abundant, and its bleeds through in every sensation.

► ATTRACTIONS: There are plenty of things to see while going around the city. First and foremost, there is a lovely beach area bordering the ocean, and a number of tourist aimed attractions built around it. There are giant malls, movie theaters, live stage performances, museums and all kinds of other points of cultural interest. Anything you can do in a big city you can do here, but better.

► ALLOWANCES: The Ringmaster will be giving everyone a reasonable amount of local currency for a few days on the town. You can't make any massive acquisitions with it, but it's more than enough to eat out, see some shows, go to the beach, and whatever you like. You can feel free to pick up some casual supplies, like mundane clothing and souvenirs. There will be more given out later, after the performance week.

► PERFORMANCE: Performance week is starting early this time, after only a couple days of exploration. When the carnival has already been on vacation for a month, the Ringmaster figures they may as well get right to it, and then do more touring afterwards. Members of the local populace will find themselves in the carnival once performances begin, dazzled by the other worldly sights. Magic doesn't seem to exist here, despite the fact that it will flow easier for people bringing it from other worlds.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

As much as he appreciates Strange thinking of him... Well, Lambert had a weird reaction to the faerie weed. He doesn't think Strange can turn into any kind of large creature, buuut he'd rather not be incapacitated in case Strange needs someone to bring him somewhere safe.

"I've already consumed drugs before."

Multiple times. It was actually pretty nice. He still has some leftover weed from the moon, but Rita would probably kick him out of the trailer if he smoked it there.

9S frowns. "Are you sure you should be smoking that? Lambert had a weird reaction to it."

As 9S frowns at him, Strange is briefly distracted by looking at his wrist, wondering who decided to name it a wrist in the first place, what could they call it if it wasn't a wrist and oh shit, 9S is talking to him, time to pay attention. This means that unfortunately for 9S, Strange straight up didn't hear the part where 9S said he had already done drugs before and just the part where he's cautioned against smoking it. Which, rude, you're not his mom 9S.

"Lambert is a witcher," Strange explains. "He's already had some stuff put in him during...witchering, so that's why it would be weird. I, however, am perfectly fine." Says the person who has a documented history of putting weird stuff in his body as well.

"Anyway, you're the one who's going to smoke it."

Lambert is a magically mutated human isn't he? Isn't that what all the humans in the Carnival eventually become?

"No way."

Normally he's all for drug usage before an important mission but human drugs last FOREVER. They have a job to do!

Strange can't help but narrow his eyes slightly, as if he's not really believing what 9S is saying. What? This is an essential human experience, why would he decide against it so quickly? Did he just bungle the explanation slightly?

"Yes way," Strange responds, like the mature adult he is. "It won't permanently alter you or anything like that. If anything, it would make you feel amazing, especially here for whatever reason."

Strange hasn't yet caught onto why Wismuth feels so great. But he's definitely noticed that getting high off of magical weed while in Wismuth feels so much better than getting high on the moon.

9S folds his arms. Normally he wouldn't refuse an offer from a human, but for all his whining and complaining, he at least takes his scouting job seriously.

(His repairman job, less so.)

"Nuh uh. Not happening."

It'd be hard to tell what's real and what isn't in the new world if he's hallucinating.

And thus Lambert learns that 9S is more responsible than the literal adult on his staff. Strange pauses, looks at 9S with a frown, before coming up with the obvious solution to the problem.

"Don't tell me you're scared."

Strange is trying to look dignified and trying to push back the fact that he's high as hell but he can barely repress a dumb little giggle at the idea of 9S being scared of getting high. It's just getting high! People can do waaaay more dumb things to one's body than smoking weed.

Strange, he likes you a lot, but no. 9S huffs, insulted.

"I'm not scared." He folds his arms. "I should get going. The city's huge."

But he doesn't really want to leave Strange here alone and unsupervised while he's smoking the weed. At least Cole and himself and Rita to look out for them. Fortunately nothing terrible happened when he got high with Syrlya. And fortunately for Lambert, 9S had the presence of mind to bring him inside instead of leaving him out in the snow buck naked.

He's scared. He's totally scared. For all of 9S's protests, Strange knows he's totally scared. As such, he's going to tease him.

"Sounds like something a scared person would say," Strange teases. He points at 9S as he continues talking. "You're just a chicken!"

It's a combination of factors that make everything go to shit. The weed makes magic misfire in odd ways. Wismuth makes it easier to cast magic. And so, without even realizing it and without even meaning to, Strange's magic misfires as he casts a transformation spell and poof. 9S is now a chicken.

There's a brief pause. And then poor 9S is going to find out that Strange is absolutely no help in the matter. He looks down at the 9S chicken...and then just bursts out into laughter. He's a literal chicken! This is hilarious.

A poof and suddenly it feels like he's rapidly falling, the world quickly going darker as 9S gets buried under his clothes. 9S shakes his head free from the confines of his shirt, confused. He feels... smaller. Much smaller. He tries lifting his arms but all he sees are feathers. Alarmed, he wriggles himself out from under his shirt, crying out in dismay at the twig-like, scaly footed legs.

And then Strange starts laughing.

This is the opposite of funny! 9S opens his beak to yell at Strange to turn him back, but all that comes out is infuriated clucking as he subconsciously fluffs himself up to look as big as possible, neck stretching out. Startled, 9S jerks his head back and abruptly closes his beak before trying to speak again.

Yep, still clucking.

He shouldn't be laughing, he really shouldn't be laughing, he's got no idea how this happened and no idea how to turn 9S back, this is not a laughing matter. But Jonathan Strange is a person who gets a bit giggly when high and 9S is a chicken and this is somehow the most hilarious thing that's happened all week.

As 9S clucks, Strange badly represses a laugh. He puts his hand up to his mouth, as if that will somehow stifle this inopportune case of the giggles but no, it isn't working. Eventually, he manages to stop laughing enough in order to say,

"You're a chicken!"

No shit, Strange.

Great! Now he knows the name of the animal he's been turned into. That doesn't solve his problem.

Strange is damn lucky that 9S can't attack humans, otherwise Stranges legs would be getting pecked so hard right now. Obviously, Strange is going to be damn useless while he's high out of his mind and 9S knows the drugs are gonna take a while to work through his system. How much did Strange take, anyway!?

Letting out a frustrated squawk, 9S turns and runs off to make his way back to the Carnival; he's not gonna wait with Strange while he's like this. Pod 153 will be there for assistance while he's stuck as this... chicken. Pod 153 can collect his clothes and belongings as well, because he's sure as hell not gonna rely on Strange to get them back to him in one piece!

So with that in mind... Bye, Strange!!!

⇨ WISMUTH

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