lostcarnival | ⇨ POLARIS

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⇨ POLARIS

Who: Everyone!
When: Days 102 - 109
Where: Polaris
What: With the Ringmaster kidnapped and the rest of the carnival imprisoned, characters find themselves at the mercy of a Winter Fae called the Mother of Invention.
Warnings: Graphic experimentation in places.

TRIALS & TRIBULATION↴

After a day of cleansing and processing, where all the belongings and attire of their old lives are stripped away and replaced with something newer and more form fitting, the former members of the carnival will find themselves let loose into the Farm for the first time. A sizable green area, filled with orchards growing inorganic looking fruits and field ready for tending, the Farm is where they will be spending their days for the forseeable future.

Food and drink are no longer needed, and so every day is an endless cycle of work. Technicians are seen only when necessary, and when being taken from your place of work to your lonesome cells at night. Every day, there are new postings on the "Production Board", where various dire sound scientific trials ask for subjects. The majority won't be forced, at least not yet, but the system is at work to push its participants to the brink and force their hand.

After all, volunteers make the best subjects.

► PRODUCTIVITY: As explained elsewhere, characters will be forced to compete to attain enough Productivity Point to be considered Satisfactory. There are literally not enough points to go around for everyone to attain this, which means that at least some people will be deemed "Below Expectations" by the end of the first four-day cycle. What this means has yet to be discovered, but the Technicians have grimly warned against it.

Productivity involves many tasks, including orchard picking, tilling, planting, harvesting, watering, maintenance, and more. Any task you can think of that would take place on a plantation is applicable here. Beyond that, the Production Board awaits you, offering precious Productivity Points in exchange for your cooperation. How you become Satisfactory is up to you, but it's every person for themselves. Only one person can turn in the credit for harvesting or preparing fields, and while you can certainly try to help others by letting them take credit for your work, it's a sure fire way to fall behind the herd, especially if you are already in a low Classification.

Fruits and fields will miraculously grow overnight, and will be ready for a new day when you are. You've been told not to eat anything you harvest, but right now you aren't hungry anyway.

► POLARIS BY NIGHT: During the night, you are left alone to your thoughts and maybe an annoying roommate. Solo or in pairs, the entire night will be spent in small sleep pods, as shown on the locations post. Is it possible to sneak out? It doesn't seem like it is, but who is to say? The real question is if you want to dare to try. There is one hour of rest before and after seven hours of darkness. Even if you don't usually have to sleep, you'll find yourself oddly weary and inclined to rest. Supernaturally, almost.

► PARTICIPATION: Sometimes participation in experimental trials is manditory, sometimes it isn't. You are free to handwave your character having been pulled aside for minor examinations, such as blood tests or aura scans. Each time, you will be pulled into a separate part of the station and analyzed by a Technician and heavily automated machinery. Anymore more complex than basic check-up level tests will be posted about in a section called "TRIALS" in the body of the post below.

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Syrlya recognizes Reira as one of the children, which is unfortunate she's in this position but he doesn't regard it as more unfortunate than all of them. He's still a little irritated about that, actually, but he keeps it down as long as he's among other members of the carnival.

She seems a little struck, though, so he stops on his way to actually starting to work to at least check up on her. "Are you all right?"

"I can't feel their feelings," she hisses, still quite still. "I can't feel yours," she adds, eyes snapping to look up at the other. "No one stopped having them, but I can't feel them..!"

There's a pause, and then his brows raise. "Oh--you mean empathy? I believe even our most innate abilities are inhibited right now." Which isn't terribly comforting on its own.

"I'm sorry, I know how difficult it is to loose sense like that."

Well.

That's a shock. Reira turns, furrowing her brows.

"...You could do that too?"

He nods once. "My people all share a connection like that, and I have not been able to feel it since arriving to the carnival."

It's been quiet. He doesn't know how the Soundless do it. "It's very disorienting at first."

"...Oh." She can't help but...turn her head down.

"...It's not a 'shared' thing for most people, I don't think. ...Everyone just forgets I have it..um. ...Had it," she mutters, shifting her foot.

"...It's 'stupid'."

You can blame Childermass of all people for that word.

Syrlya nods once, with a bit if a wry smile. "It is like Steven, isn't it? How is it everyone forgets that you have it?"

He can take a few guesses, since most of them probably aren't used to being on the receiving end of it. Even he was surprised by Steven, being used to a more mutual connection.

"Ummmm....I guess?" She's. Not actually sure, on account of not really talking to him about it. "...I just know if someone's sad, or angry, or hating... ...and I guess happy, too, but the other three are the ones you're supposed to hide from, so." Not that she really does that now, since she doesn't really have a reason to do that all the time, but it was certainly very flight-driven at the start.

Syrlya raises a brow. He's not sure how empathy manifests in small children since Sylvari are all adult, but... sure. Her understanding of whay she's feeling just might not be nuanced.

"Are most people in the carnival simply not used to someone being able to read their emotions?"

"Probably." She'll be blunt about that.

More bluntly she'll voice some irritations about it though...at least after pointing toward some field work. "...We should probably work and talk, instead of just talking," she explains, looking to Syrlya to move with her before she starts heading off in the direction of something. As it is.

"...I just don't like people 'forgetting' whenever they think it's dangerous. Everyone feels nervous, and scared, and sad..." She scowls. "...and then they lie about it when I ask what's wrong, even though they know I know."

"Of course." Syrlya follows beside her, figuring he can prune weeds or something.

As for Reira's plight... "They may simply not wish to burden you with their worries. I understand races who have children are often protective of them." And thus, probably want to be stronger for her even when they're freaking out internally.

She has a very dry frown. "Lying about it doesn't do that. I still know they're worried, and sad, and I just know they won't tell me why on top of that. Telling me they're happy when they're not doesn't make anyone feel better."

If anything it's a bigger burden in itself. It appears, at least, that they are indeed coming to some sort of harvest system- a three sisters plot, or the closest one could get to it. Squash, Beans, Corn. ....Or....Cube Gourds, Prism Legumes, and Big Ears of Bricks.

Excellent.

She'll get to work on the gourds first- her teeth make fast work slicing through stems.

"Sometimes there isn't the chance to feel better." While Reira works on one row, Syrlya starts snapping stems on the other--with his hands instead. Occasionally he'll find a weed to uproot instead.

"Would knowing why make you feel better?" Since it could very well be no help, no hinder. Much of the carnival is human, and it seems to extend to them everywhere to be more closed off.

"Knowing why would mean I can try to help," she offers, slowly stacking gourds at the side.

"...Even if I couldn't help that, I'd be able to try and do something for them. It's okay to be scared, and sad, sometimes. People don't have to lie about it. ...Especially not when I just know they're sad and lying," she frowns.

If the point of making one happy is to pretend they're fine for their sake, they need to do it around someone who isn't an empath, is her point.

Syrlya glances up briefly as he considers that--or rather, considers how to explain that point.

"I don't believe they are seeking your help at all, which is why they will pretend there isn't a problem. They do not wish to make it your burden." Or her business, as the case may be. It's definitely the kind of behavior that's a subtle hint to stay in your lane.

"I'm sure you are not the only one they speak to that way. It's possible they truly do forget you can better see past their farce if they aren't used to someone being able to read their emotions."

"Why can't they just say that instead of lying again then?" Reira questions with a frown. "It makes sense if they just forgot, even if it's a lie... ...But it's okay to say you don't want to talk about something. Everyone gets scared sometimes, and a lot of things happen here that make people scared- saying they're okay when they aren't is just more lying." And it absolutely makes her feel like they're treating her like an idiot. Just tell her you don't want to talk about being sad. She gets that.

Syrlya snorts. "It is lying. But most of the carnival is human, and if there is anything I have noticed about humans it is that they keep their hearts close and hidden. Even admitting to the sadness is showing a little bit of weakness."

Weakness they may not trust themselves just showing around even to a kid. "In that case, the only thing to do is allow them that lie."

That...makes her pause. Because on the one hand- Syrlya is definitely acknowledging what she's said. He even said she's right! (Sort of)

But... "....But why?" she has to ask, looking up to him. "...No one actually feels okay, and everyone just feels worse..." Well, she feels worse, certainly. In her experience, they feel worse too, once they remember she can definitely tell otherwise. And that's regardless of if she says as much or not.

...So why is that the only thing to do?

"So they can be strong of heart and mind before things inevitably get worse. Because they have no one to trust... because it is probably uncomfortable that you can sense things about them that they do not wish to be open about, or can not sense about you in turn."

He shrugs. At least, that's what he'd imagine. Sylvari don't have those same kinds of farces and subtle cues, when they can sense that mood directly... but it's also mutual, and there's no feeling of vulnerability associated with something everyone does.

She wants to say that doesn't work. No one ends up stronger of heart and mind at all, doing that, except...

Oh dear. "....They're lying to...themselves then..?" She sounds more worried than incredulous at least, but it's still something discomfiting.

"Sometimes!" He pauses to root up a particularly stubborn weed. "Sometimes they realize it isn't a good time for their emotions, but there is not a good way to tell someone not to worry."

If Syrlya was more self reflecting he might realize he picked up this exact habit from dealing with the other races so much. But he's not.

"It must be awkward, but you are probably best letting them be in that case."

This is just absolutely depressing then, she's decided. Squash dealt with in this patch, she moves onto grabbing as many lower beans as she can to set in a basket.

"How am I supposed to talk to them ever then? ...I'll know what happened. ...They'll know what happened. ...How does anyone ignore that and do better?"

The answer is 'unhealthily', but unfortunately nothing is going to be fixed. Especially not when a 7 year old is trying to push.

Syrlya goes quiet for a moment as he considers that. This is asking a level of questions deeper in sociology than Syrlya himself is used to considering. She wants a why he can't provide, but he can at least offer advice on how to handle the situation.

"You let them be the first to tell you those things." That's the simplest, if less satisfactory answer. "Some of them may have others they rely on instead, or they have no one but are not ready to rely on you. But you cannot help until they want help."

Reira doesn't answer immediately, just gathering 'beans' with a frown. What Syrlya says makes sense, certainly, but it doesn't mean she has to like it. Especially since all of it is based in letting people lie to themselves.

Which sucks. That sucks.

But she supposes she lacks much choice, so she just sighs. "...ok," she answers simply, silent again before she eventually adds- "...Um. ...thanks."

It's important to say thank you if someone helps.

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⇨ POLARIS

Day 102

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