⇨ 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

[whattaprick]

Lambert stares at Strange blankly. “I don’t feel like I’m dying.” The story’s trying very hard to make Lambert think he’s dying but that’s where that mental fortitude comes in handy. The best it can do is try to dim and flicker the images around them to simulate fading vision, and one of the ravens caws when Lambert speaks, an air of disapproval about the way it cocks his head. The floor underneath them lurches angrily, making Lambert reach out to steady himself on the bathtub quickly with his free hand.

“All right, all right!” he grumbles. “Bring me this fucking idiot so we can get this over with already!” He gestures ineffectually at the darkness like he’s seen Strange do a hundred times before, impatiently.

[kingsroads]

The medallion hums and Strange senses the magic at work. Lambert's incantation was...unorthodox, but it works. And as the magic of the curse goes to work, Strange starts to lecture Lambert. "I don't know how specific the magic is, but you'll need to instruct him to give the box to Childermass, to give the letter to Lady Pole, and to tell Norrell that you are coming. After that, you might have to bring magic back to England but that was all rather—"

Nope, the pep talk is briefly interrupted because the magic works fast. The darkness swells forward then retreats to deposit an absolutely terrified Drawlight in the room with them. He's looking at Lambert like he's the scariest thing imaginable before he launches right into trying to cover his hide. "M-Mister Strange! I don't know what you want with me but they're the ones who told me to come here, Norrell and Lascelles, they—" But then Drawlight looks over at the real Jonathan Strange and, for the first time, notices there's someone else here. "And, ah, who might you be?"

Ah. Right. The darkness is here, but he's not feeling the symptoms of queasiness, coughing, or death's door that he knows he should feel. Strange straight up forgot that if the book sees Lambert as him, then it's going to see the real Strange as someone else. Who that someone else is though, Strange has no damn clue. As such, he's just deer in the headlights for the moment while he tries to mentally scramble up a cover story that would fit in with the scenario because he knows Lambert won't be able to come up with a cover story himself.

[whattaprick]

Christopher Drawlight in person is about as sorry a sight as the vision presented in the water -- worse, in fact, since there's a grating sniveling voice and a reeking, frightened body to go with it now. Lambert wrinkles his nose, both at the sight in front of him and being addressed as Mr. Strange, but when the book vision ends up distracted by Strange, something absolutely terrible occurs to him as petty revenge for being stuck in this situation.

"That is my fairy servant, and he's none of your business," Lambert answers, haughtily. "Now stop babbling and listen to me carefully, you sorry sack of shit, because I've got a job for you."

[kingsroads]

Drawlight gives Strange a look of absolute terror as Strange gives Lambert a look of absolute annoyance. The worst part is? This narrative twist makes sense. After all, summoning a fairy was Strange's goal in coming to Venice. The problem here is that Strange knows that Lambert's going to get his kicks while he can and order him to do dumb shit.

"I am the-" quick, come up with a good name "-the Marquis of Mirrors." Strange gives Drawlight a small, overly theatrical bow, before turning his attention back to Lambert. "And for all of our sakes, I'd suggest you do what my master tells you to do."

"I'll do anything!" Drawlight quickly stammers. "Wha-What do you need?"

[whattaprick]

Take it up with the library management, Strange, or whoever the fuck decided to cast Lambert as the protagonist here. The fabric of the story, if nothing else, seems to accept the existence of a fae servant without a hitch. Now, what was it Strange had said he needed ... ?

"All right, so I've got three things for you to do." Looking down at the items still clutched in his hands, he grimaces, then glances at Strange.

"You know, it kind of doesn't make sense to give this to Childermass without any explanation about what it is, does it? Isn't there a note to give him too?" Yes, yes, he knows that's how it apparently happened, but if Strange thought he wasn't going to criticize crazy Strange's plan while he was at it...

[kingsroads]

"I-well I mean you, you did write him a note. But to the best of my knowledge, he never received it." Which makes sense as to why it isn't here: whoever wrote this book wasn't Strange or Drawlight, so how would they know about the note in the first place?

Well, they'll have to make do. "A fairy has enthralled lady Lady Pole and Arabella Strange. This same fae has also threatened the king of England." Did Lambert know that part? Hopefully he did. "Tell John Childermass to go to Lady Pole. The magician's plans should be outlined in her letter and he is so read it there. He is to perform the magic and reattach what is given but only when the time is right."

Does that make sense? Strange hopes it makes sense.

[whattaprick]

"Should've stuck the note in the box with the finger," Lambert grumbles under his breath. But he knows well enough that best laid plans rarely go as intended.

"You heard him," he says, turning to Drawlight. "Letter to Lady Pole--" he thrusts it at the man, waiting for him to take it, before he shoves the box at him next. "And this box to Childermass. Simple enough, right?"

[kingsroads]

"I thought I did that," Strange hisses back, with a frown and a roll of his eyes. It's not his fault that somewhere in the narrative a note explaining everything for Childermass got lost! Still, as Lambert moves to give Drawlight his orders, Strange moves to stand behind Lambert, trying to look as imperious and fae-like as he can muster. It mostly involves a lot of Strange holding his head up in a haughty manner.

Drawlight, bless his heart, obviously has no idea what's going on between these two and is too scared and confused to ask about the details. He just takes the letter and the box with a nod. "And, ah, the third thing?"

[whattaprick]

Right. The third thing. Lambert grin turns sharp and he reaches out with a hand to ball his fingers into the front of Drawlight's shirt, hissing in his face.

"Tell Norrell I'm coming." He lets Drawlight go, then looks back at Strange, at the shadows flickering around them.

"And when I do, I'll be bringing English magic back with me to kick his ass."

[kingsroads]

Strange just gives Lambert a look. Why are you like this. Why are you saying this. Lambert's supposed to be him, when has Strange ever bragged that he'll kick someone's ass?!

Despite the fact that Lambert gave Drawlight his task, the story remains. There's not any signs of the setting dissolving or fading away. Looks like Lambert's got to actually bring the magic back himself. "On the contrary, you'll bring English magic back now. We have an audience, after all." Sorry Drawlight. "How much have I told you about the spell?"

His mood's turning: Strange was a bit sulky about all of this at the start, but the prospect of seeing that magic again, of watching the magic he cast to bring back English magic is definitely enticing.

[whattaprick]

Strange sure as hell brags about everything else. Might as well add some ass-kicking in for good measure and make it super well-rounded. He frowns at the magician, not having any particular cues as to what to do next, but ...

"The mirrors have to break," he says, thinking out loud. "You never said how."

[kingsroads]

"The ravens are your messengers," Strange explains, as he looks down at the birds. "Use the magic to send them through the mirrors here to the mirrors of England. They'll break through and bring magic back."

It's all a bit of a confusing and slightly weird explanation. Still, Strange is explaining this as if it makes perfect sense. Because hey, that's what he did, that's what makes sense to him. Just ignore the fact that it's a plan that a dying madman came up with. "As a warning, more of the birds will show up when you start the magic."

Like, a shitton of birds. More doesn't mean ten or so, more means literally hundreds.

[whattaprick]

Use the magic how, Strange? Lambert looks at him, trying to communicate as much incredulity he can in just the twitch of his eyebrows. He can't exactly do something he doesn't understand, can he?

But he doesn't have to be a real magician, or use real magic: he just has to be the magician the story needs, he supposes, and won't the book do the rest? Book Drawlight is already looking a bit eerily glassy-eyed over there, as if in suspended animation, or maybe that's just how blank and stupid he looks all the time ... anyway. Magic. Magic, right.

While he's been a relatively unconvincing Strange thus far, if there's one thing he knows, it's the gesturing the magician's prone to during his more theatrical Carnival performances. Lambert draws on that memory now, weaving his hands through the air.

"Elaine tedd a'taeghane," he intones solemnly. Despite the bullshitting, he at least tries to push some willpower behind the words, willing the birds to do whatever they're supposed to be doing to make this happen. "Uskglass caen me a'baeth aep arse -- Jonathan Strange, the greatest magician of this age, commands you to return English magic where it belongs!"

Cue throwing his hands up dramatically. He's going to feel real stupid in a moment if this doesn't work.

[kingsroads]

It works enough for the story. Because suddenly, birds.

The ravens on the ground take flight, flying into the mirrors. One would expect them to be smushed into raven paste, but they break through the mirror, opening it up to some other realm beyond. From out of nowhere, more birds appear, flying from the sky of the courtyard area through the mirrors. There's hundreds of them, enough to break through every mirror in England. The courtyard is just a cacophony of birds and feathers.

Drawlight is terrified, hiding his head from the birds and trying not to look. But Strange is standing upright, watching all this with a slightly mad grin on his face. He laughs, a bright triumphant laugh that cuts through the noise of wings. This is beautiful.

[whattaprick]

The birds burst in, and it's only because of Strange's warning that Lambert doesn't flinch back. All he can do is watch, arms lowering to his sides as his medallion goes ballistic -- re-enactment or not, powering those birds takes a fresh surge of magic from the book, and his necklace is responding to it.

"What now?" He shouts over the cacophony of wingbeats. The question is, of course, directed at Strange, but -- does the book just end there? Are they free to go now?

[kingsroads]

"That should be it," Strange yells back, still grinning like a madman as he watches all the birds in amazement. "There wasn't anything else I did here of great importance."

But the book has other ideas. The darkness of Venice starts to fade around them and is replaced with a dilapidated ballroom. A large tree stands in the middle of the room. Various fae are dancing, as music plays from seemingly nowhere. This is Lost Hope, Strange realizes almost instantly. His expression of amazement at the raven magic fades into one of confusion. But what is he supposed to do here?

That's answered almost instantly as he hears Norrell's voice call out to Stephen Black and use the power of English magic to strike down this faerie, the one who had treated him so terribly all the years.

"Bell," he almost whispers, hope in his voice. And then Strange straight up ditches Lambert as he starts pushing through the dance, trying to find Arabella.

tfw the last tag you thought you sent apparently didn't send

[whattaprick]

As the book takes them from one scene to the next with no real narrative transition in between, it's jarring -- the flap of wings cuts out almost immediately, replaced with the strains of music instead. Lambert looks around, sharply, and recognizes the ballroom from the gem-vision of Arabella's rescue Strange showed him. Seems they've skipped right to the good part ... and it occurs to him, outside of Strange's limited point of view, maybe he can learn a bit more about the curse in the first place.

So he's in no hurry to rush after Strange. Instead, he'll try to follow and look for Norrell's shrill voice, unaware that the story does, in fact, still revolve around him...

gj computer

[kingsroads]

"Bell? Arabella?!" Surprising no one, Strange's one track mind is firmly focused on Arabella. He's pushing through the crowd, looking for her, trying to see if he can even catch a glimpse of her in the midst of the dancers. And he finds her...right as Arabella almost walks into Lambert.

"Do you wish to dance with me?" she asks Lambert. There's a glazed look in her eyes thanks to the enchantment. She looks at Lambert with an unfamiliar expression. And, as Strange approaches, Arabella turns to look at him with the exact same calm, unfamiliar expression.

Oh. Right. Lambert's playing the role of Jonathan Strange at the moment. She is enchanted, but to her, she'd have no idea who he was anyway. Strange looks a little crestfallen before he looks up to Lambert and asks, "Do you remember how I broke this spell?"

[whattaprick]

Lambert's hands automatically come up to steady the body he bumps into. Arabella, of course, he recognizes instantly. Let's be real, he's probably seen way more of Arabella than he should for a man who isn't married to her, solely because Strange whips out that rock at the slightest opportunity.

At the question, even as book-Arabella waits patiently for one of them to do something, Lambert makes a face.

"Yeah, you kissed her and then shoved her through a mirror."

There are probably major lighting effects going on as whatever magic nonsense in the background happens in the background. Good times.

[kingsroads]

"I disenchanted her," Strange responds, still looking straight at Arabella. "The kissing was just the trigger. You'll have to do the same—and before you ask, I've no idea how the story registers disenchanting."

He should be a little miffed about the fact that Lambert's going to kiss Arabella (and probably will be a little miffed once the kiss happens). But at the moment, she's here and she's in front of him so Strange is just going to stare at Arabella like an utter dope and in a slightly creepy manner.

blah blah guess who didn't go canon review for this

[whattaprick]

Lambert looks from Strange, to Arabella, and back again, making a face. Could the magician look a little less happy and pay a little more attention, perhaps, to the events going around him? Because unlike Strange, Lambert has no problem looking away from Arabella, so he glances to the side in time to watch a man in what he now recognizes as servant's clothes absolutely wrecking the fae he assumes is the ruler of this realm. Could Jonathan Strange at least be a little more interested in this?

The witcher sighs, tipping his head down, and awkwardly takes Arabella's chin in his hands to tilt her face up. He leans in, then stops, even as her brow furrows in confusion as she blinks up at him.

"Do you really have to keep looking?"

it's yoooooou

[kingsroads]

Creepy staring continues until...oh, wait, yeah it is a bit awkward for him to be staring as Lambert kisses his wife. Come to think of it, he doesn't want to see Lambert kiss Arabella in the first place! He's supposed to be kissing Arabella!

"Remember to do the disenchantment," Strange explains, with a frown. "She is beautiful, but I'm not going to let you use this story as an excuse to kiss my wife."

With a little huff, Strange partly turns to the side, so that he's not watching directly but Lambert and Arabella can be seen out of the corner of his vision. Happy now?

[whattaprick]

Lambert would point out that it would be a lot easier to perform the disenchantment if he knew would actually consisted of, except he starting to suspect that the truth is Strange doesn’t exactly know how to explain how to perform the disenchantment either, having more or less made it up on the fly and banking on the power of being one of the greatest magicians of the age to pull it off.

So, Instead of responding to that frankly ludicrous assertion—not everyone wants an excuse to kiss your wife, Strange, damn—he just goes ahead and does it, cupping her face and pressing his mouth to soft, parted lips.

[kingsroads]

And thus Lambert learns a fundamental truth about Strange's magic: all the really impressive things are equal parts skill, bullshit, and hoping for the best. The 'spell' works enough for the book as the two kiss. Arabella pulls away first: she blinks and looks up at Lambert with a confused yet madly in love expression.

"Jonathan? Oh Jonathan, it's really you!"

Good. She's back to normal. And honestly, that's enough privacy for the two of them, so Strange turns back to Arabella and Lambert. "The mirror has already been prepared, Ar—Mrs. Strange. It will take you from this place."

Strange looks over at Arabella, giving her an absolutely longing sort of smile before he gestures for Lambert and Arabella to follow him. After all, he knows which mirror he used.

[whattaprick]

Not that it's an entirely unpleasant experience kissing Arabella -- a thought that Lambert immediately files away under 'things probably best not to speak of unless it's an advantageous moment' -- but Lambert is as much relieved as Strange is when the spell takes effect and he doesn't need to do anything else. He tries for a reassuring smile back, though it mostly comes out an uncomfortable grimace as he puts a hand on the small of Arabella's back and starts steering her off after Strange.

"Right. It's me. And now I need you to follow the, er, faerie, so that I can finish what I started." Unfortunately, this pronouncement only makes Arabella look distressed, trying to resist being pulled along, and Lambert sighs.

He knows he's going to catch hell for this later, but it's a book! Who cares! Without any further ado, he wraps his arms around Arabella Strange and hoists her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He ignores her squeak of alarm and indignant 'Jonathan!' and looks impatiently at Strange instead.

"Come on, which one is it?"