⇨ 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

[kingsroads]

"I...I'm not sure. I think so?" Remembering someone's dreams is hard to begin with, remembering a dream that someone had a few months ago is even harder. Still, there's something familiar about Steven's description that has Strange frowning slightly as he tries to remember.

That small little frown is still on his face as he continues to talk.

"It's no use practicing your magic if you only focus on the battle magic," Strange explains. "Magic is so much more than creating a shield or setting someone on fire. And if you want any help in testing your limits and developing that sort of magic, you only need to ask."

[starseedling]

Steven frowns too, starting to snap a few pictures of the picture book with his phone while he thinks. Everything Strange does seems pretty different.

"I think Gems are more like faeries or dragons than wizards," he says. "We're just born with stuff we can do. It... probably doesn't work like you're used to."

It's a gentle warning more than a flat out denial.

[kingsroads]

"You can still practice it," Strange stubbornly responds. Because again, he's not accepting 'sometimes things just happen' as an answer. If they 'just happen', then Steven should be able to figure out why they happen, how they happen, and what he can do to make them happen on their own terms. And he might not be able to teach Steven how to do something the way he helped teach Yuya, but maybe he might be able to help Steven get a smidge of control over the other parts of his gem magic.

"Take that dream magic, for example. Can you choose to go into someone's dream?"

He's got a worrying feeling the answer is 'no.'