⇨ CAMPING GROUNDS

[ringleaders]

Who: Everybody!
When: Day 64
Where: The Camping Grounds
What: While the Ringmaster attempts to purge the carnival of magical tracing spells and deal with the angry fire fae in her belly, everyone else is getting sent on an emergency camping trip with some unusual local fauna.
Warnings: Camping.

CRYPTIC CAMPGROUNDS↴ You're given about three hours to prepare, after the Ringmaster tells you her plans for the coming week. There is a vast selection of camping equipment at your disposal, and the means to take along enough food for the length of the stay. The wilderness of the planet you're left on is nearly idyllic, but some people just don't like the great outdoors. ► CRYPTOZOOLOGY: As it turns out, the carnival won't be alone here. There is a varied ecosystem of cryptids to be found as well, living in relative peace and mostly reacting to the newcomers with curiousity. More details can be found on the plotting post. You are free to NPC the cryptids as much as you need to, as long as you stick to the behaviours described. ► DREAMSHARING: There is a player plot going on which will allow characters to share dreams! These are specifically more dreams than nightmares, and the mushi-adept characters will be here to help. ► CHILLAX: There isn't any plot twist for this setting, so this is mostly an opportunity to decompress from the last plot and get ready for the future. The Ringmaster will show up occasionally to help with needed medical treatments and check on things, but won't stick around for long.

Comments

[atouts]

"What, you mean doing to them exactly what they do to us? It isn't on the level by any means, but you really can't understand that?" Childermass isn't exactly a vengeful man. It's just he can see the appeal behind it, even with most parties regretting it after the fact (except, of course, Lambert).

"No doubt you'll have some spiel about being better than them but knowing they aren't invincible isn't a bad thing."

[kingsroads]

"Considering that we have a weapon of war in the center of the moon, of course they know they aren't invincible! Hell, the Blue Rose already killed one fae to begin with."

To Strange, this just sounds like a list of excuses and justifications, of Childermass finding a way to rationalize what Lambert did. There were plenty of ways to show the fae that they aren't invincible which didn't involve literal torture.

[atouts]

"A Wyld Fae. They hold no value in the courts," Childermass says, brushing off the death of the Prince like it doesn't mean anything (and they're all better off for it, anyway). "And it was the Ringmaster who ultimately destroyed him, not the Rose."

And that's about the end of what he even has to say on the matter. It's with a resigned look that he just... lets it go. He can only hover over being angry for so long before it just becomes exhausting and so—

"But fine. Do as you will, believe whatever you want, it's what you've always done." He turns back to stare gloomily into the campfire. "And try to avoid Nightshade if you can. I've no idea if the Starlight's protections hold up through death or even a change of ownership."

[kingsroads]

A lot of the time, Strange is powered by spite. He's ready to continue arguing with Childermass about Ignatius, Lambert, and this whole matter before the other man cuts the conversation short. It stops a little bit of the fight Strange has, but it doesn't get rid of it completely.

"I don't seek out the fae any more than you do," Strange can't help but grumble, briefly offended by Childermass's insinuation. "If I knew that the fae would show up, I would have stayed in the carnival that day."

But hindsight is 20/20 and Strange knows that, considering everything, his words probably don't mean much.

[atouts]

At that point, Childermass can't help but roll his eyes and turn back to the most incredulous of looks.

"That wasn't an accusation, it was a warning," he tells the other magician. "I've told Steven the same already."

[kingsroads]

Oh. Right.

Strange just fumes a bit more, though this time it's because he's an idiot who saw conflict where there wasn't any. "I'll try to do so," Strange simply responds. He gets up, like he's about to leave...but lingers for a moment. There's still a lot of things Strange wants to mention or wants to talk about, but he honestly has no idea how to do so without sinking this conversation even further.

"I've puzzled out some interesting new magic, by the way. If you wish to see it, I've been spending most of my time near the lake."

Strange's expression plainly states that he knows this is a shitty way to end a conversation but he can't really think of another way to do so that won't make things worse.

[atouts]

'New magic' does get a second or two of interest, Childermass almost asking just what it is, but... no. He won't give Strange the satisfaction of turning this conversation into something pleasant. Not right now. So he settles on simply saying, "I'll think about it."

No promises, no questions, just that. He turns back to the fire again with that said, which is about as much of a dismissal as Strange can expect from him.

[kingsroads]

Yeah, Strange can tell this is a dismissal. So he responds to Childermass's statement with a simple, "You know where I live. Bother me when you want to see it."

And he turns around to make his way away from Childermass and the campfire, back towards the forest.