⇨ 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]

The little girl blinks. "You're really small for a sorceress," she says, seriously. "But Uncle Vesemir says I shouldn't judge things by appearances. I'm Ciri." She manages a clumsy little motion that looks a bit like she's forgotten if she was trying to go for a curtsy or a bow.

Lambert gapes, but doesn't quite get a hand up in time to muffle the snort of laughter at Rita's expense. Small for a sorceress indeed!

[anti_nonsense]

Did this book-spirit just...!?

"Y... you're one to talk, pipsqueak!" Rita retorts angrily. "You're really small for a witcher, aren't you!?" Says the girl who's only ever seen one witcher before.

"And you!" she snaps at Lambert. "Keep your mouth shut!"

[whattaprick]

"I didn't say anything!" Lambert defends, raising his hands in a conciliatory gesture entirely fucking ruined by his shit-eating grin. Ciri, meanwhile, blushes and then puffs up proudly.

"I'm still in training! But Lambert says I'm the best student he's ever had, so I'm going to be a witcher soon!" her gaze cuts over to Lambert, pleading for backup, which she is, naturally, not about to receive, as the witcher switches that cocky smirk to her, though it's a little wistful.

He knows how this story goes. She's never going to be a witcher. It's not even something she should be looking forward to.

"I said the best girl," he says, with emphasis. "Which isn't saying much, because you're the only one I've ever taught."

[anti_nonsense]

Lambert just told Rita that there were no female witchers. Does that mean she never really finishes her training? Besides that, Lambert also once said he was one of the last witchers made. It doesn't seem like this girl's been mutated, as far as Rita can tell...

So what is this? Just a kid and her guardians playing pretend? Those moves sure seemed real, though.

"Why would you want to be one in the first place? Doesn't being a witcher, you know... kind of suck?" Rita folds her arms and gives Lambert a glance as she insincerely adds, "No offense."

[whattaprick]

"None taken," Lambert assures Rita, though he grimaces a bit. Teaching Ciri was only ever meant as a distraction and a way to occupy her time

Book-Ciri's eyes fall on Rita as she regards her, speaking with childish solemnity, looking far older than herself for just the briefest moment.

"If I become a witcher, then I can fight." Even with the story's sparse details, Rita doesn't need much imagination to recall the rest of that bloody tale. "Then I won't have to run away."

[anti_nonsense]

Rita's quiet for a few seconds as she gives the girl an appraising look. That's right... in events she read, this little pipsqueak was followed by enemies and violence wherever she went.

"Guess you've got some sense, then," she settles on saying, clearly approving despite the backhanded way of saying it. "Girls like us can't always count on other people to protect us. I learned offensive magic for the same reason."

It's only after the words are out of Rita's mouth that she questions why she's even saying these things to some fake illusion girl. For a moment, she felt like she could believe this was a real person, someone she could perhaps even relate to in some way.

[whattaprick]

At that, the girl's expression lights up. "Triss said the same thing too! Have you met her yet? I can't use magic, but she's been teaching me a lot of other things too!"

That, at least, lets Lambert know about when this version of 'Ciri' is from. As they've been speaking, though, acknowledging the specter for longer, more of the area around them is coming into focus: a bright azure sky lined with snow-capped mountains, worn stone underfoot, like it's trying harder to draw them into its story.

Lambert realizes they probably need to disengage even as Ciri's ghost darts forward to grab Rita's hand, trying to tug her along with her. "Come on, I'll introduce you!"

[anti_nonsense]

Triss...? A magic-user?

A tinge of pink creeps into Rita's complexion when the girl takes her hand. Why is it so hard for her to say no to princesses like this...?

But even as Rita becomes aware of the scenery expanding, growing seemingly more real, she considers the offer. She's only ever heard Lambert talk about sorceresses, and often wondered what she could learn from actually meeting one. Maybe this could be an opportunity...

"Sure. Why not?" she mumbles as the girl pulls her forward.

[whattaprick]

As much as Lambert's curious to know just how much of his world this book has reflected, he hasn't forgotten about the dangers of this place. As such, when the book-specter, no matter how convincing she is, succeeds in tugging Rita forward, he'll take that as his cue to intervene.

"Not today," he says, firmly, clapping a hand on Rita's shoulder like that'll work to keep her in place. "Rita's still got some work to do. And so do you, don't you? Did you run off from Vesemir again?"

The witcher raises his brows, and Ciri's cheeks pinken a little, though she does let Rita's hand go so she can cross her arms and huff at Lambert. "You run off from Uncle Vesemir all the time!"

"Yeah, but he's already given me up as a lost cause." Lambert snorts, dropping a hand on Ciri's head and ruffling her hair to her squawk of protest. "Go on, get."

[anti_nonsense]

Rita shoots Lambert a sour look. "Jerk," she mutters. Now how is she supposed to learn about his world's magic!?

But it probably isn't wise to get too wrapped up in an illusion, so she folds her arms and grudgingly says, "Fine. Another time, then. See you around, Ciri." It's a lie, of course. She'll probably never see this girl again, and certainly not the way she is now.

[whattaprick]

It seems to be good enough for the girl, who flashes Rita a shy, bright smile and waves before turning and running off into... the bookshelves, and as she disappears so does the rest of the illusion with it. Lambert exhales sharply.

"Well," he drawls, after a pause. "That was something."

[anti_nonsense]

Rita watches her go, feeling almost disappointed... but that's stupid, right? The whole encounter was fake, anyway.

But she's kind of glad it happened.

It doesn't take long to readjust to reality, and with that, Rita shoots Lambert an amused grin. "Look at you acting all uncle-like, and for a princess, even. Never thought I'd see that." She might have gone with 'big brother' instead, but he's way too old.

[whattaprick]

Way too old, physically if not mentally. Lambert really does fit the sterotypee of some delinquent older brother rather than someone's uncle, so Rita's assertion makes him make a face.

"It wasn't my idea to bring her here." But he hasn't thought about that in years. Ciri wasn't in Kaer Morhen for long, but for a while, she'd been something that made that dour place a little brighter.

Though thinking about it also makes him sober up quickly enough. He knows how that story ends, more or less.

"You said the story mentioned a witcher, right? He's the one that brought her there."

[anti_nonsense]

"Right... it said that he and a sorceress adopted her, or something," Rita recalls. She probably doesn't need to go poking around in the book again to check, especially when it might just encourage the spirits to manifest a new illusion.

"Who was he, anyway?" It must have been someone Lambert knew, another from the School of the Wolf he once mentioned.

[whattaprick]

"Geralt," Lambert says, like he expects Rita to know who that is right off the bat before he remembers ... right, not everyone automatically knows who Geralt is.

"He's a witcher from the School of the Wolf, like me. Guess I'm not too surprised there's another story about him here... it's pretty much the same back home."

[anti_nonsense]

"The same? What, you mean they've got stories about him all over the place?" Rita asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Is he famous or something?" Rita was under the impression that witchers weren't especially liked by ordinary people.

[whattaprick]

“Do they ever,” Lambert snorts. “It’s what happens when you keep getting caught up with sorceresses, kings, and bards, I guess. You get songs and stories written about you.”

He’s not saying he’s a little jealous, though he might be. better infamous than dying alone in the dirt ... although he will add, after a moment— “Get stupid nicknames, too. Like the White Wolf and the Butcher of Blaviken.”

[anti_nonsense]

"That so? Guess I should be glad I've avoided the bards, out of that equation." Because having people write songs about you sounds awful. Rita enjoys a fair amount of fame in her world, but she's glad she hasn't had to deal with that. Or any dumb nicknames.

"But, you know... if I didn't know better, I'd say you sound a little jealous."

[whattaprick]

Reflexively, Lambert scowls.

“Jealous? Of getting my name trumpeted all over the Northern Realms so that people expect me to solve all their problems for them? No thanks.” He shakes his head, grimacing ... though he will relent.

“The fights might be more exciting than chasing down the ring of another murdered bride or drowners in a swamp, but I could leave the rest.” The witcher snorts. “And I’m already getting my fill of excitement here.”

[anti_nonsense]

"Excitement, huh..." Rita murmurs, rolling her eyes. That's not the word she'd use for all the crap they've been through at the carnival... or for fighting in general. But this talk of Lambert and his home life reminds her of something.

"That's right... you said before that you don't necessarily plan on going back." If Lambert doesn't remember saying that to Rita, it's because he didn't. She did happen to be there when he told Childermass he'd follow him across worlds, though.

[whattaprick]

It’s clear enough Lambert wasn’t expecting the conversation to turn this way, brow furrowing in confusion for a moment before he understands what Rita’s getting at. He flushes a little, but doesn’t avert his gaze, raising his chin slightly in an effort to convey stubborn defiance.

“I have promises to keep back home first.” He pauses. “After that ... maybe.”

[anti_nonsense]

It's not often that Rita sees Lambert flustered over something like this. Usually it's the other way around (not that she'd admit it)... which means she doesn't feel the slightest bit bad about making him uncomfortable.

"That so? Didn't sound like a maybe when you were pouring your heart out back on that rooftop in Wismuth," she comments with a sideways glance.

[whattaprick]

Lambert narrows his eyes at Rita right back. He can’t exactly deny it, but it doesn’t exactly sit right with him to let that pass without comment, either.

“I would’ve said anything if it got him back,” he says. “Wouldn’t you have done the same?”

The pointed way he raises a brow at her implies that he’s not thinking of Childermass.

[anti_nonsense]

Rita narrows her eyes, her face turning ever-so-slightly pink. She knows damn well who he's thinking of. She can't even deny it, either.

If something like that happened to 9S...

"I wouldn't say anything I didn't mean," she retorts, bristling.

[whattaprick]

“And I think you’re smart enough to know that just saying something doesn’t mean it’s going to work out that way,” Lambert snorts, crossing his arms, ears and tail flicking, before he looks away.

“I’ll probably have to make another contract. If the next year’s anything like this one’s been, it might not be up to me.”

He isn’t a daydreaming maid, with romantic notions of the sort of work it’s going to take to make it happen. He can hope, and he can do his best to survive, but that’s all.