lostcarnival | ⇨ THE ATHENAEUM

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⇨ THE ATHENAEUM

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.

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[Possibly making things even worse is the fact that vampires don't always mean the same thing or do the same thing depending on where one is from. So this could get bizarre even just talking to him. But on that note, Gongenzaka can't help but stiffen quite a bit when Cole approaches him with a familiar ballad.

Yuuya showed him the same thing after all.] MNH... ...I...the man Gongenzaka, presume you refer to the material within the piece that you carry..? [he asks, though he feels a bit as though he knows the answer already.]

[ Cole nods before very tentatively handing Gongenzaka the ballad. ]

You've stayed here. You might know. [ Granted, other people might know as well. But Gongenzaka is here and Gongenzaka is the first person Cole's found and...Gongenzaka is worried as well. That's silly. Why would he not like this paper? ]

You don't like it.

.... [....He nods, perhaps in reply to both.] ...Aah, that is correct, [He answers, assuming the emotion was simply read easily from his body language.]

...It is without a doubt, a loose depiction of a time during which I, the man Gongenzaka, acted my lowest, after all...

[He might not blabber around about the incident, but he certainly won't lie when it's in his face.]

[ There's a pause, before Cole looks over at Gongenzaka. He can see the hurts, the worries, but there's still so much that he doesn't understand, things about vampires that he can't gleam from simple context clues. ]

They hurt you, [ Cole murmurs, as if it's obvious. ] Why?

Mn? [Now, that brings a bit more attention to what may or may not be odd about this. For a moment, he thinks to ask how the other knows that at all. Instead however, there is something about how Cole is muttering it that has him wonder if...Cole even. Realizes that's kinda weird.

And confusing.

He'll answer the question at least.] Assuming you speak of the vampires...yes. They certainly did-they are those who attacked the Carnival in the past...and killed some of our number, in fact. This particular parchment however...

...it brings to mind what occurred due to their counter-attack after we defeated them in that battle...

They came back, [ Cole mutters. ] They found you, they fought you, and somehow they changed you. But I don't know how.

[ He looks up at Gongenzaka, like Gon will somehow help explain the entire concept of vampires in a quick and easy sort of way. ]

Ah... [.....Well this has officially slammed hard into the realm of 'knowing things they shouldn't. Once more he finds himself stuck- at a loss for words, his eyes wide and the one with any semblance of an iris dilated in the confusion.

Deep breath in, Gongenzaka-Deep breath, and soon he brings himself back to some semblance of control.] ...Yes. ...That is...what happened.

[And so he will explain. Because if one who knows so much does not know...then perhaps there is something to that.] ...Vampires of this sort...they were of a demonic form-with a bite, they would infect the very soul of another, bringing them beyond death, and making them like themselves.

In their counterstrike, they did this to as many as they could, before taking them in as their own... ...a matter which involves a more than cruel form of 'thinning the herd'.

I, the man Gongenzaka, was bitten-and as with the others, for a time cursed with the craving, and reliance on blood from another for sustenance... [Something he managed to resist for a time. ...A fact that is exceptional in itself, not that he sees it as such.]

[ And Cole, to his credit, is listening intently, taking in Gongenzaka's words as he explains the whole scenario. To change someone's soul so drastically, so quick like that...it's worrying. He was scared of being bound, being forcibly changed into something he's not. This seemed like a version of that, but just for people. ]

But it wasn't permanent. [ But it could be permanent. ] She helped heal?

Naturally, yes- [It is strangely easy to follow where Cole's line of thought goes, as long as he assumes Cole...speaks of who he himself would think of first.

'She' here, well! That clearly means the Ringmaster.] In order to recover, we meditated upon ourselves, to separate what was 'us' from what was 'them'. The Ringmaster then excised that demonic thing from the soul, and destroyed it.

...It was not permanent...but, indeed, it has left its mark upon the past.

You weren't you, [ Cole muses, with a little frown. ] Not entirely.

[ It's different when Cole wasn't himself. But with Gongenzaka, with the vampires, it seems to be so easy to find that place, to find the parts that weren't them and remove them, like trimming a plant or cutting your nails.

Except for the fact that it isn't. Not entirely. Gon will always think back to the time he was a vampire just as Cole will always think back to the time he thought he was human. Those actions color future actions. He could never go back to pre-vampire Gon. Not really. ]

And you'll never be the old you again. [ pause. ] I'm sorry that happened.

No. [No, he certainly wasn't. He glances away, and then after a pause, looks to Cole again.

...] ...No, I will not.

...The same could be said simply working here, with this carnival I shall admit... ...There are many things which change us, here. For the better, for the worse...

[And yet, something about how Cole puts it can only bring a small smile to his face. His eyes are watering a bit but...Ah.]

...I, the man Gongenzaka, shall be fine. ...Thank you, sir.

[~~s i r ...~~]

[ He helped. He thinks? Gongenzaka is crying but it's not a sad crying. Which is...odd. Nice, but a bit odd.

Still, that 'thank you' tells him just what he needs. There's relief in Cole's voice as he talks. ]

You are welcome, the man Gongenzaka. [ there's a small pause before, ] And Cole. I'm Cole.

[Cole you were doing so well-] AH...

[There is no hiding the brief, but very briefly sharp, pang of disappointment there.] I- Just Gongenzaka is quite fine..! [He laughs, eyes closed in a somewhat embarrassed squint.] What I, the man Gongenzaka, say with my name...it is merely a form of personal address, as passed in my family from home. A statement that...

....I shall admit does not translate too well, even with magic, [He coughs. But all the same, he is smiling-and honestly-again.] Regardless, it is good to meet you, Cole. Though, I must ask...how is it that you were able to determine these various things while we spoke?

[ He's still a bit confused about all this. ] But you call yourself the man Gongenzaka. And I want to call you the name you call yourself.

[ There's a person in canon who goes by the Iron Bull. Cole consistently calls him 'the Iron Bull.' Not Bull, not Iron Bull, not any sort of nicknames, just 'the Iron Bull.' This is a long way of saying that Gon's probably fighting a losing battle here. Sorry, the man Gongenzaka.

Oh, a question about himself though, he can answer this! ] The vampires still hurt. I can tell the hurts and I help them heal.

Auh...N-No-

It is more akin to...mmm... [He crosses his arms, giving it some serious thought. It takes a fair amount of brain power to actually butcher his own translation further-

Cole may be a lost cause here but damn if he won't try at least once more!!] MM! A more 'direct' translation would be 'This man', or 'This person'-it is a way of saying, alongside one's name, that I myself, am not someone greater than another; but rather, simply another person..!

[Because that's sure going to fix it right??? (no, he's doomed himself)

To be fair he's equally confused by Cole's answer, but he'll try and parse that.] Then...you are...a form of empath? [A question as much for himself as for Cole, perhaps.]

But you didn't call yourself this person Gongenzaka...

[ Cole is officially confused. Honorifics are dumb and fantasy Europe doesn't have them. So, he decides that at least for the moment, he's going to forget about it. The man Gongenzaka it is. ]

Empaths feel everything. I feel hurt. I'm a spirit.

Indeed, I, the man Gongenzaka, did not.

...The point is...it is not a name-but rather, a declaration, and a statement. One which comes from the bearer of the name, [he adds.] When I say 'I, the man Gongenzaka', it is a part of upholding the traditions of my family, and the responsibilities that the name 'Gongenzaka' carries.

[....Yeah just stick with 'the man gongenzaka', cole.

Especially since Gongenzaka is plenty fine with focusing on what Cole is saying.] A spirit?

...You are a fairly unique spirit then, if you feel what 'hurts', and know what causes such things...

[ yeah, that explanation ain't doing shit for Cole. Time to focus on stuff he knows more about and can hopefully explain in a more coherent fashion: his weird spiritness. ]

I'm a spirit of compassion, [ Cole explains, with a little nod. ] That's how I know the hurt and how I help.

Auh... ...Hmnh...

[Well, at least Cole's side makes sense to Gon, sort of.] Then... ...naturally, you would be familiar with the cause, without context... [he mutters, at least to himself.] Hmm! I see!

...You do well at what you are, then! [He compliments, nodding.] I, the man Gongenzaka, hope you yourself gain some happiness from helping with such things?

[ As someone who gets 'you're creepy' and 'stop that' more often than 'thank you,' Cole just BRIGHTENS UP at Gon's compliment. There's a big smile on his face as he looks up at Gon. Because that's good. That's good to hear. ]

Thank you! It makes me happy when others feel the same, [ Cole responds, with a nod. ] Besides, this is what I am.

[ as a spirit of compassion, it's his job to help. It's his role in life to ease suffering of others. He is happy and he does enjoy it, but for Cole there's just so much more to helping others than doing it because it's the right thing to do. ]

[Well then they are off to a great start!

Honestly if he found Cole truly creepy, it'd be hypocritical. Case in point, he's friends with the sword that ate his arm.] I, the man Gongenzaka, am glad then..!

Though, now I am admittedly curious... You say you are a spirit, but you bear a considerably solid state... ...unless that is typical, where you are from?

[oh my god gongenzaka you can't just ask why a spirit is solid]

[ That's a long story. And Cole's awkward little frown tells Gongenzaka that it's a long story. He shifts uncomfortably for a moment before eventually answering, ]

I was confused. I thought I was a person, but I'm not. I look like this even after I learned because it's easier.

[ He was still going to help the Inquisition. He still wanted to help save the world. And it's a bit easier to do that if people give him a name, if he holds to a body. ]

Ahhhh... [Yeah that shifting is pretty obvious, if the words didn't cover it. Thus, Gon simply raises a hand, nodding.] Hm!

Say no more then, Cole- I, the man Gongenzaka, understand. I shall not ask more of it. [In other words, he hasn't actually got a clue how this works, but it's pretty obviously not a very easy to explain topic.] You do your duties well, as you are, regardless.

[So, Congrats on that.]

[ Cole looks visibly relieved as Gon says he won't ask more. Because while he doesn't mind explaining if needed...it's just very confusing. And involves a lot of canon-specific terms. And Cole would probably have to explain that Dragon Age spirits are different from regular spirits and what a templar is and all sorts of things like that. ]

It's easy to do them here, [ he admits, with a frown. ] She tries, but the hurts still happen.

[For a moment, Gongenzaka is simply nodding along- at least until he needs to think about who's being spoken of.] She...

...Ah. The Ringmaster, [He guesses, frowning.] ...Indeed... ...she was not wrong to acknowledge that things have grown particularly grave in recent times...

...Even compared to the initial portion of my own year here.

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⇨ THE ATHENAEUM

oh boy COLE!!!

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those are happy tears as an fyi for Cole ahahah

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