⇨ 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]

...well then. Strange is completely skipping over the bird symbolism as he's fairly certain that Childermass is only offering up that suggestion because it's a combination bird and insult. He gives the other man a bit of a disgruntled look because really, Childermass, not funny.

Granted, if he said it to someone who wasn't him, it'd be a bit funny. But Strange isn't exactly the best at making fun of himself.

"A falcon," Strange corrects Childermass. Obviously he's going to be an impressive, majestic bird of prey, not a common barnyard bird! People eat roosters!

[atouts]

Childermass gives an incredibly not innocent shrug at that look. He thinks it fits perfectly, okay? A falcon, though. Fine. He'll ask.

"Why a falcon?"

[kingsroads]

"Because they're majestic!" Which is probably the worst thing Strange could say to defend his choice. I picked this bird because it's awesome and I think it fits me, who is also awesome.

"Besides, I'm the Duke of Wellington's magician and the Ringmaster's mercenary. I need something a bit more lethal than a common chicken."

[atouts]

"You may want to try catching an angry rooster before you write them off entirely," Childermass replies with the conviction of someone who has undoubtedly been on the wrong side of chicken theft at least once in his life. "They're vicious little things when they want to be..."

Though definitely not as majestic as a falcon, he will give Strange that.

[kingsroads]

"They're certainly stubborn bastards," Strange grimaces, as he gets war flashbacks to that spell he was working on all those months ago which made multiple swarms of chickens. But dealing with a magical chicken that you can easily dispell is different from dealing with a flesh and blood chicken that you have to actually pick up.

"A bit stupid, though. If I'm to be a bird, it's got to have a brain." And he gives Childermass a look that plainly states any commentary from the peanut gallery about the fact that Strange is an idiot won't be appreciated.

[atouts]

Yeah, whatever, fine, he'll just raise his eyebrows at that look from Strange and smoke instead of adding his two extremely unwelcome cents on the matter. The man really does have a way of setting himself up for these jokes, he really does. Though now that Strange has settled on his preferred bird, it's hard not to wonder—

"Well, you're more than welcome to be the one with feathers this time. Maybe I'll just be a dog or something akin to that, for a change of pace."

Like they even have any control of it, assuming it's even a thing.

[kingsroads]

Strange knows they'll have zero control of it. Still, it's fun to talk hypotheticals and what-ifs, even if it most likely never happens. He frowns a little, picturing Childermass as a dog. In all likelihood, he'd be this big black hunting or retriever sort of dog...which means that Strange briefly entertains the idea of Childermass as a lap dog.

It's amusing as hell and he can't help but smile a little.

"Speaking from experience, being a cat is overrated. Jumping was nice, but I was far too small to do most things."