⇨ SHABONDAMASHII

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 92 - Day 99
Where: Shabondamashii Bathhouse
What: With the Silver Mirror claimed and the animals of Eden relocated, it's time for the carnival to kick back and enjoy an interdimensional bathhouse and the surrounding festival city. Meanwhile, the scattered shards of the Mirror have an unexpected effect.
Warnings: Dark/Light halves acting weird.

THE BIG CLEANSE↴ As the carnival recovers, the Ringmaster has brought it to the gates of a famous interdimensional bathhouse to rest. She won't be joining you for most of it, though she will be checking in frequently and available by radio. She's fixed a large portion of the Silver Mirror after it shattered, but it seems like pieces are missing. She doesn't want to rest until the missing shards are dealt with, and the Mirror itself is locked away safely. ► YOUR OTHER HALF: The shards missing from the Silver Mirror didn't just disappear - after breaking apart in Eden, fragments of the object embedded themselves in the spirits of those not already touched by its powers, and those that had been the most fae-touched. That means, your characters. The effect of this, explained in more detail on the plotting post, is that some characters will be splitting into two versions of themselves: the Light, and the Dark. This doesn't mean good and evil, of course, it's far more complicated than that. Splits can start happening at any time after arriving in Shabon, and initially characters won't know how to rejoin with their twins. Later on, it will become apparent that they need to reconnect via the shard of the Mirror they share... of course, in order to rejoin, you have to have both halves, and not all twins will be as eager to go back to the way things were before. This plot point is optional. ► SPA DAY: When you're not engaging in metaphysical division, you are free to enjoy the many luxuries that Shabon offers. Things will mostly have an east-Asian bend, like what you would see in the movie Spirited Away, but as long as it doesn't affect the setting much, you can honestly have whatever spa-type services available that you want. Food is served both in restaurants and 'buffet' style. There are also well paid sex workers here, if that is your thing, but make sure to tip well. ► FESTIVAL TOWN: The city surrounding Shabondamashii is largely meant to catch the business of interdimensional tourists. There are frequent parades and other events held, and the architecture is very closely packed. It's easy to get lost if you leave the bathhouse, but it's definitely worth it if you like party. You can pick out a few outfits for yourself and some fun nick nacks, but nothing that would normally require mod approval.

Comments

b

[atouts]

"You're looking a little blue over there, Syrlya," comes that ever so uncharacteristic joke from a man with a gravelly voice.

That, of course, being Childermass, who's ended up in the same bath area but has just been minding his own business up until... well, right now (aka, he'd been dozing; the collection of drink glasses balanced on the edge of the baths, yet to be swept away by some attendant, likely explains why he'd be dozing in the first place).

"Or is that some other color? It's a bit hard to tell through the steam, to be honest."

[chronosynthesis]

"Ha ha." Syrlya tilts his head back over the edge of the pool to glare at the ceiling. He knows it's Childermass, but he won't look at him now.

"It's... whatever color you would call wine. Red. Purple. Burgundy." The specifics don't matter, unless everyone starts calling him every color the rainbow. Why is it always him?

[atouts]

"Wine? Really?" Childermass gives a laugh as he asks that. "What did you do? Bathe in it?"

[chronosynthesis]

"It's some sort of treatment, apparently." So that's a yes. "Strange wanted to try it, and I foolishly agreed."

He rubs his face with a groan, stalling before he shifts to sit up and look back at Childermass. "I did not know it was going to... soak into my skin like this."

It's not a problem for most races, whose flesh is not porous enough to actually absorb dyes like, well, plants do. And he's a very pale plant.

[atouts]

"Syrlya, you're supposed to drink wine, not sit in it," Childermass replies, a lopsided sort of grin creeping across his face. "Mr. Strange is still somewhat of a madman, you know? I wouldn't trust his choices in these things. Here..."

He turns a little, still stiffly thanks to the still-healing gashes stitched up along his side, and flags down an attendant. He requests some wine and two glasses this time, something not red, please and thank you. That done, he looks back over at Syrlya.

"If you're going to look like wine, you may as well be full of it, too."

[chronosynthesis]

This might in fact be more tolerable drunk. He has no idea how long it's going to take to dilute the color that's already stained his body.

He raises a brow, because he's heard Childermass' biting humor, but it's usually much more sparse than this. He might just be full of wine, too.

"I suppose I cannot argue... you seem to be enjoying yourself." More than Syrlya is, anyway.

"But 'somewhat' a madman?"

[atouts]

He absolutely is, although he has, thankfully, been regulating just how full with his useful little anti-toxin necklace. It's wrapped around Childermass's wrist currently, so he's tipsy and intent on getting even less sober than that this round.

"You live with him, don't you?" He asks, raising his eyebrows. "You can't tell?"

[chronosynthesis]

"I can tell he arrogant and short-sighted with absolutely no sense of care," Syrlya grumbles, sinking further into the water with barely contained aggravation. He's going to try and force himself not to dwell on that much, however.

"But you say that like there is a story behind it."

[atouts]

Very unfortunate for Strange that this version of Childermass doesn't have any of the discretion that the other magician endlessly complains about. That all ended up with the "ideal" one, meaning this one just laughs again and gets the spa attendant to pour a glass of wine to Syrlya once he returns with the wine.

"You know we're from the same England at least, yes? I have enough stories," he admits to Syrlya. "He was the student of my employer at the time, Mr. Norrell. They inevitably parted ways. Not that I hold it against him, mind. He was right to do it." Very, very right to. "Though he did decide to go mad on purpose after some awful business with faeries and his wife."

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya thanks the server, almost immediately swallowing a fourth of the glass. He might be a little more eager to not be sober than he lets on.

"I've heard part of that. He told me much about England back in the Summerlands, and I saw--some apparition of him at the Prince's ball, I believe. A rounder man with white hair who was familiar with Strange."

Another sip, before Syrlya sits up a little straighter. "Just how long has he been damaging himself with the dealings of the Fae?"

[atouts]

"Yes, Mr. Norrell, or some illusion of him, in any case, had been in attendance," Childermass confirms that much for Syrlya. That feels like years ago now but it's hardly been any time at all if one really thinks on it. Ah, but back to Strange. He takes a drink of his own wine and continues.

"How long exactly with the Fae, I do not know. I know not exactly when he met the faerie, only that it was the very same faerie that Mr. Norrell had, apparently, called upon to bring poor Lady Pole back to life." Only where does Strange fit into that? Well. "When Mr. Strange lost his wife, he sent letter after letter to Norrell, begging him to share how he'd done it, only to be refused. No one was meant to know he had used a faerie's magic instead of his own, not even his own student."

[chronosynthesis]

"I assume this was a resurrection, and not simply necromancy?" Necromancy tends to be kind of obvious. Also, Strange could already do necromancy.

He doesn't know as much about Strange's personal life as a student, but he knows enough to take some guesses. "I assume Norrell did not want people to know when he and Strange were pioneering magic? I suppose that might be a bad look. Are the fae already known to making deals?"

[atouts]

"A full resurrection," he says, giving Syrlya a nod. "Fae have always been known for making deals, even in England. If Strange ever discovered the truth or decided to try the faerie magic option on his own, you would have to ask him, but he ended up running off and looking for a way to contact one. It involved going mad. He was still an absolute mess from it when he first stumbled into the carnival."

[chronosynthesis]

He really never learns. Syrlya, in response, proceeds to down the rest of the wine glass before he can start to steam with irritation about Strange again.

"That is where the curse comes from, isn't it?" He's putting pieces together. Who else but a fae he was messing around with was going to be powerful enough to land that on him?

[atouts]

"It is," Childermass confirms that, too. "Admittedly, he is doing better these days. He actually combs his hair on occasion now, puts on fresh clothes before he begins reeking too badly."

[chronosynthesis]

At that, Syrlya snorts. "We share a trailer, and I do not believe I have ever once seen him fix himself in the mirror."

Doesn't mean he never has, but Syrlya's never borne witness to Strange doing things like 'personal tidiness'. "Given the current state of his hair, I fear it will only become worse again."

[atouts]

"You'll have to believe me when I say it could definitely become much worse," Childermass says. Mind, he never did claim he did any of that often. "And has been much worse, at that. It abated some after he hared off back to England for a few days and settled matters with the faerie."

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya considers that. "I would rather take your word than deal with it in person, I suppose."

He sets the empty wine glass aside, settling back a little deeper in the water. "You seem to be taking to all of this quite well."

Not that it isn't deserved, because if anyone needs a break it's Childermass. It's just a light observation.

[atouts]

"Do I?" Childermass finishes off his own glass and flags the attendant down again. It's refill time, for the both of them. When that's all refilled, he looks over and carries on with, "Likely because there's been a terrible side-effect of the Silver Mirror, or so both of me assume it to be so. I left all the parts of myself who would be taking this seriously up in the room and it has got to be one of my better ideas thus far."

It's something he admits just so casually like it isn't the weirdest bullshit in the universe. Admittedly, he's dealt with far weirder at this point and there really is nothing to gain by letting Syrlya think he's actually Childermass. Well, all aspects of him, that is.

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya is about to take another swig of the wine, but what Childermass says makes him stop before he even gets the glass to his lips and he simply stares, uncomprehending.

"I... parts of yourself?" Sorry, what.

[atouts]

To Syrlya's confusion, he cheekily raises his glass to him in a mockery of a toast and smirks.

"Exactly what I said, wasn't it?"

[chronosynthesis]

"Yes, but it does not make any sense." He furrows his brow with concern. "You mentioned it had to do with the Silver Mirror? I did not think you were attempting to use it like Strange."

[atouts]

"I didn't," Childermass says, affecting a look of complete innocence. It still manages to come off as shady despite it being the truth. "It's only a theory. If it's split me into two people, it would make the most sense. I just don't understand how seeing as I refused to touch the damn thing."

Well, whatever. He doesn't sound worried and instead finishes his fresh glass of wine (quickly) and waves down yet another refill.

"I'll figure out something to fix it when I feel like it, I suppose."

[chronosynthesis]

"I have never heard of anything like that." Which doesn't mean it's not true, just that Syrlya has no frame of reference with which to conceptualize it.

"It split you in two? Do you know where the... other half is?" Hm, wait. "Which one of you has your radio?"

[atouts]

"Ha! The radio? I took it," Childermass says triumphantly. "He probably doesn't even realized I nicked it when I left. Bet he's still making Lambert fetch him more paper to write with back at our room. We fell behind on all our notes and he's just got to get all that work done now. What a waste of a holiday..."