⇨ 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 wrinkles his nose at Peridot. After all they've been through, this is what grosses her out? They're just bones! Imagine when they still had flesh on them!

Instead of answering immediately, he steps forward further into the cavern, crunching past more dry bones and twigs, and finally finding what he's looking for: a mess of branches and mud packed into a corner, smelling like foul carrion (and yes, here is the half-eaten goat that was probably what the bones were, once).

"It's about the right time of year for ... there." Brushing twigs aside, Lambert triumphantly hefts up a sizable egg, grinning at Peridot. "We'll get its attention with this."

[periphrasing]

"We're going to kidnap it's unborn child?" Peridot replies, lifting an eyebrow, suddenly showing a bit too much sympathy for this forktail that, until a few minutes ago, she was totally cursing out and calling horrible names.

She's also pinching her nose with thumb and forefinger to try and block out the scent of rotting goat, but it is NOT working super well.

"Ugh. Fine. Whatever gets us that book back. So what do we have to do with this egg, then?"

[whattaprick]

Lambert, who's started walking back towards the cave entrance with the egg gently cradled in his arms, raises a brow and glances over his shoulder at Peridot as he goes.

"Who said anything about kidnap?"

That's all the warning Peridot gets before Lambert lifts the egg over his head and throws it to the ground, where it shatters with a horrifying crunch. Yolk splatters on the dust and bones, eggshells bounce away, but more importantly --

A shriek of pure fury rises in the distance, rapidly getting closer, along with the sound of beating wings.

[periphrasing]

Peridot actually jumps backwards in alarm as Lambert makes the forktail egg do a humpty dumpty, a wordless exclamation of surprise punctuating the motion. The fur on the end of her tail is still all puffed out when she puts her foot back down, gawking at the resulting mess.

She knows it's not a real egg, but. Part of her still feels pretty guilty for it.

"...Oh my stars it sounds mad," she whispers, horrified. "How does it know--!? Why would you do that!?!"

[whattaprick]

"You wanted to get its attention, didn't you?" Lambert asks, glancing back at Peridot as he draws his sword. "Fastest way to do that to a mother is to go for her kids."

There isn't time to say any more before the forktail barrels into the narrow cave mouth, claws scrabbling and landing heavy as hell. The book is clutched in its mouth -- how it managed to sound so loud while still holding onto it clearly not a logic the story cares to explain -- but not for much longer, as it drops it and lunges for the witcher standing over the yolky remains of its offspring on the ground.

Predictably, probably, Lambert just laughs wildly, throwing his free hand up to cast a shield that the forktail slams into. The force is enough to dissipate the spell almost instantly, but the impact is also enough to fling the forktail back a few steps, leaving it temporarily nonplussed.