⇨ THE ATHENAEUM

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 47 - Day 58 ish
Where: The Athenaeum
What: The carnival arrives at book world. First week, they'll be performing for magical manifestations of book characters. Second week, it's time to hunt (for books, in the library.) Around Day 58 some stuff will occur.
Warnings: Reading is mandatory.

FAERIE TALES↴ Though the carnival will be performing for its guests in the first week, they are welcome to search the Athenaeum while they are off duty during that time. The manifestations of story characters will be out in full force during performance week, with animals, people, objects, and even locations growing out from various tales. Most are distracting at worst, and will be curious to check out the carnival. Some, however, can be as dangerous as they were in their stories of origin. You know what to do. ► IT'S TIME TO ROLEPLAY: The best way to deal with book ghosts is to follow their narrative to its logical conclusion - turn the tables, work the story so it ends in your favour! Naturalistic and narratively satisfying plotting will have the manifestations following your lead. However, push too hard and introduce too many plot holes, inconsistencies, or illogical plot twists, and they will reject your reality utterly, becoming quite aggressive in the process. You can also use your natural abilities and powers to fight them in a traditional sense, but in the Ringmaster's experience, it's best to fight reality benders by bending reality right back at them. If you aren't careful, it's possible to be dragged fully into a story's reality, and then things get really messed up. ► IT'S ALSO TIME TO READ: The carnival came here for a purpose, and that purpose is to research. Specifically, the Ringmaster is looking for information on the Queen's Miracles - the set of ancient fae artifacts that the Blue Rose is one of. The carnival needs these artifacts to defend itself, but nobody knows where they've been for thousands of years. That's what the books are for. However, nothing is stopping you from pursuing knowledge for personal reasons. The halls are open to your perusal, and only your heart can guide you to the book you truly seek. Check the plot post to see what's allowed, and sign up to find plot info or other important game information below.

Comments

shelves

[atouts]

[ A 'please help' isn't something Childermass can rightly ignore, so while he's on the other side of the shelves when he hears Yuya's call, it's no difficulty to find a shadow in the Athenaeum. He can go from his side to Yuya's in the blink of an eye, the dour and feathery man stepping out of the nearest shadow without any pomp, circumstance, or even a heads up.

He's just there, suddenly, as he tends to be, and now eyeing the specters with some wariness. ]

What is it now?

[ A harsh question, though aimed more at the library's denizens than Yuya himself. ]

[hippocarnival]

[Luckily, this time the book only sprung a handful and ghosts and not a scene that decided to take over the hallway. Less lucky, they look like bandits pointing their ghostly swords right at Yuya, two in the front and one in the back. Depending which shadows Childermass chooses to appear from, he might find a blade pointed at him as well.

Yuya, at least, looks relieved to see him.] Childermass! Uh, I think I'm getting robbed?

[That does seem to be what's going on. Can ghost swords hurt him? He doesn't really want to find out.]

[atouts]

[ Yeah, there sure is a sword pointed right at his chest now that he's appeared. It didn't seem to startle the bandits, though they do adjust to cover him as well regardless. At that, he frowns, looking down at it, then back up at the bandit pointing it there. ]

Hm. So it seems... [ He'll hold still for now, okay? ] Did they appear on their own or did you open their book?

[hippocarnival]

[The bandit approaching Childermass is giving him an obvious look over, trying to find anything obviously valuable glinting off his person.]

I didn't open the book this time. [This time, because he's definitely been the cause of unleashing a bunch of other book spirits. How else is he supposed to actually try and read them, though?

He glances back, reluctant to make another moves as one of the bandits wiggles his sword at him.] If'n ye part with yer necklace and all yer gold, you'll walk away with yer life.

[Yuya flattens his hand over the pendulum immediately.] You definitely can't have that!

[atouts]

[ Whereas we have Childermass, who seemingly wears nothing of value. Although with the addition of his fancy long coat thanks to the caravan back on the moon, he definitely looks like he may have something of value, just not apparent. In any case, his attention flits from the bandit to Yuya's necklace, then back again.

Well, they have to play along with these things, don't they? Well, how do you appease a bandit? They're lowborn, shabby, and thieving, so it is a mindset that the magician can actually get into.

What would younger Childermass have done? ]

Sir, you seem like a man who can appreciate a good bet. What if I told you there was a way to have us hand over everything we own without resorting to a fight?

[hippocarnival]

W-wait a minute--[Yuya doesn't want to give anything up! But then the sword behind him lightly pokes his back, and he deflates and shuts up.]

Oh? [The leading bandit doesn't lower his blade, but he does look interested.] An' what kinda bet would that be?

[atouts]

Would a drinking contest be to your tastes?

[ He offers a weak smile as he makes the suggestion, almost as if he's unsure but... Well. Sorry, Yuya. He does have a card up his sleeve but can't say as much in front of their unfriendly guests and their many swords. ]

Myself against your entire band.

[hippocarnival]

A drinkin' contest, eh? [The bandit sizes Childermass up, grinning wider. Obviously, he doesn't have a lot of faith in Childermass' ability to hold down liquor compared to the rest of them.]

All right, yer on. And we'll provide the alcohol. [That gets all the bandits moving. One of them retrieves bottles of hard liquor (ghost liquor?), another drops down a crate and the glasses while the leader, sword still drawn, stands at the end of it opposite Childermass.

The finale bandit grabs Yuya's arm and pokes him again as he guides him off to the side, as Sir Not Participating in this Competition. But he makes good collateral.

Yuya grumbles under his breath, brow knit as he assumes Childermass has a plan here.]

[atouts]

[ He does pause to look over at where Yuya's been tugged aside and offers a shrug, which isn't at all telling, but at least he knows where he is now. In case. For all he knows, book ghosts can't get drunk, either. He'll have to worry about that later, though, because he won't delay too long before stepping up to his side of the crate.

Once there, he gestures towards the one with the bottle. ]

Well? Let us begin.

[ Pour, pour, pour. ]

[hippocarnival]

[He's definitely going to find out. The illusionary alcohol is poured into both glasses.] We'll do it in rounds. We each drink once, then second, then third... until someone can't sit up straight no more.

[And the bandit leader pounds his back quickly, giving Childermass a c=smug and challenging grin when he does. Obviously, it's meant to be some sort of intimidation.]

[atouts]

Of course.

[ Childermass agrees, waits out the leader putting back his own drink, and then does so himself. He'll do exactly the same, although once he's finished his glass, he'll put it back down with far less glass clinking and only gives an incredibly bored look in response to the smug one of his opponent here. If anything, he's making it seem like this is something he does every day and it's just routine by now.

Which it isn't, as he isn't a huge drinker much these days (apart from when Lambert and Strange goad him into it like... once in a blue moon or something). What is true, however, is that he'll carry on this way through every round, no matter how many they go, seemingly unaffected by whatever is in the 'ghost wine'.

It'll just be one more drink and then holding the glass up for another pour, same as before. ]

[hippocarnival]

[Would book whiskey really affect him to begin with? Whether it would or not, the bandits are too bound by their script to questions the tangibility of their alcohol.

The leading bandit isn't terribly pleased by Childermass's ambivalence, his posture tensing aggressively as they both pound back glasses. After a number of drinks, however, the bandit is teetering.

He sneers and gestures one of the other bandits over, whispering something slurred and hard to make out in their ear before he pounds the glass against the crate.] Another! We ain't done here yet!

[atouts]

[ Up to no good, Childermass can easily imagine on seeing the whispering. If it were just to ask for a new bottle, it would hardly need to be a secret. Even so, while he does eye the interaction, he says nothing about it. He just raises his own empty glass and agrees without a hint of slur on his own part, ]

Far from it. I'm sure you could manage another bottle or two at this rate.

[hippocarnival]

[Definitely up to no good. But the leader doesn't pay his men any more mind as they fill the glasses again. Off to the side, though, the fourth bandit is hovering suspiciously over the bottle.

Anyway, the leader only makes it two more glasses before he fumbles and topples backwards. The other bandits are stunned, for a moment, staring at Childermass in shock that he's so, comparatively, unaffected.]

Y... ye still have to beat the rest of us! [The two bandits drag their leader out of the way before one of them sits across from Childermass. There's still some confidence despite his apprehension, that surely Childermass can't get through two of them.

So the glasses are filled again, with normal alcohol.]

[atouts]

[ Glass full once more, Childermass just picks his up and smiles at the remaining bandits from over the rim before drinking it. Normal alcohol or not, what the specters don't realize they're dealing with is a bit of magic. It isn't one directly from the magician but rather one he wears under all those layers of clothing. Just a little something from Atlantis... and endlessly useful in that it absorbs any poison, even one as ambiguous as alcohol is.

Whether it'll be picking up something beyond that sooner than later, he doesn't actually know, though he's keeping that fourth bandit in the corner of his eye. ]

[hippocarnival]

[For all their suspicious whispering, the fourth bandit is actually pretty good at stealth. Childermass never actually sees him tamper with the alcohol further, while he engages in the second drinking competition.

But yes, about halfway through when the second bandit is teetering about, Childermass' drink is spiked with poison. The only visual indication is, if he's observant enough, something clear carefully held against the bottle and behind his hand poured into the other bandit's drink. Something to inhibit the effects of his own drink.

There's a glint of anticipation in his eyes as he pulls back, watching Childermass.]

[atouts]

[ He can anticipate all he wants but what he actually gets is bound to disappoint. Rather than Childermass, say, dying horribly of poison, he... finishes his drink. He doesn't bother making it apparent he knows something is very likely up or even calling the bandit out on it.

He just finishes, poison and all, and holds the glass out expectedly for the next round. ]

[hippocarnival]

[There's a long pause as the bandit pours the alcohol slowly, watching Childermass, waiting... and then nothing happens. He stops, staring as he doesn't keel over from the poison or the liquor and, in fact, looks exactly as unaffected as when they started.

He drops the bottle, and it hits the table before flipping over into the grass.] Wh--what are ye?!

[atouts]

[ There's a lot of ways he could answer that.

Truthfully, in several different ways, or he could just make something up. Truthfully has the downside of the bandit still holding onto Yuya possibly stabbing him, so— Childermass sets his glass down very slowly, very precisely, and leans across the crate towards the startled bandit still sitting there with him. ]

Sir, I am the most powerful sorcerer of this land. Losing this little contest is the only out you and your friend over there has of escaping here without being turned into rats for the rest of your lives.

[hippocarnival]

[The tension is the air is almost tangible.

The bandits aren't so bold as to stand up against a sorcerer. They scramble immediately, one grabbing for their leader while the other dashes to collect their things.] We don't want yer gold! C'mon, Bart, let's run!

['Bart', who was previously restraining Yuya, just forcibly shoves him over as he runs to catch up with the bandits, and in a whirlwind the bandits and their props disappear as the book returns to it's dormant state.

Yuya's face down on the ground, but only for a second before he's pushing himself up and rubbing his nose.] Thanks.

[atouts]

[ The bandits flee and everything they set out vanishes with them, meaning whatever Childermass had been sitting on at the crate for the contest goes, too. Unexpected, it leaves the magician landing on the floor with a startled oof, putting a decided end to any dignified way to wrap up winning and chasing the specters off.

Oh well.

He'll live.

Not that he won't roll his eyes over the whole thing and then turn to look back at Yuya. ]

Not a problem. Are you alright, Mr. Sakaki?

[hippocarnival]

Yeah, I'm fine. [He rises to his feet and dusts himself off. He goes to retrieve the book, keeping it firmly closed as he sticks it randomly on the shelf.] Has this been happening a lot to you too?

[It's making trying to find information difficult when he keeps getting wrapped up in stories.]

[atouts]

I've yet to run afoul of bandits besides these, but yes. I had a spate of princesses that demanded I escort them back to their kingdoms.

[ AKA their books. Anyway, he'll get back to his feet as well. ]

This one was somewhat more fun, I must admit.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya snorts, turning around with his back to the books once he puts it away. He smiles when Childermass calls it 'fun'.] You really scared them... did you know you weren't going to get drunk?

[At least, Yuya assumes he didn't. Book spirit alcohol is probably too pretend to do anything.]

and then I lost the notif for this and spent a few days wondering 'was this ever tagged'

[atouts]

As they should be. I'm terrifying.

[ Words which have no seriousness behind them, but the rest, well, he shrugs. ]

And no, I did not. Whether a living person can get drunk or poisoned by something out of a book, we may never know, seeing how I wasn't going to get drunk regardless.