⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 119 - Day 126
Where: The Summerlands
What: Ignatius and Gild portal everyone to the Summerlands, with hopes of appealing to the Summer Maiden for help. Meanwhile, the carnival gets the chance to relax in luxury as only tentatively welcome guests. Here is the location write up from the last time the carnival visited. Since then, of course, some things have changed.
Warnings: Nothing in particular.

THE SUN RISES↴ After taking the time to rest, Ignatius and Gild will be able to pool together their energy to portal the carnival (and the airship) to the Summerlands. Those still in Polaris will be left to their own devices for the moment as Gild intends to ask for the Summerlands aid in relocating them, hopefully as soon as possible. With the effort the carnival put into sorting things out in there, however, they should be fine on their own for a little while, at least. They will arrive in the flowery fields at the base of the mountains, and soon the Summer Fae will notice their presence. Since the last time they visited, however, the atmosphere has changed. ► YOUR ARRIVAL: As the Summer Fae discover the group's arrival, it will quickly become apparent that there is a tension present that wasn't there any of the other times the carnival has visited. The Summer Maiden comes to greet the group personally, with an entourage of armed Summer Fae. They are not at all aggressive unless provoked, but there is clearly a wariness that is new. They seem uncertain about Ignatius being here, and while Gild will be able to do a lot of the talking and smooth things over, the Summer Maiden will deflect having a serious conversation about affairs until the carnival has taken time to 'rest.' It's more likely that the Maiden needs a moment to think over this new information before dealing with it. ► SUMMER CITY: After the Summer Fae become aware of everyone's presence, and the initial uncertainties are accommodated, they will invite you into their city. There are stairs that lead up the sides of the mountains, but thankfully there are also magical means of getting up there as well. The Summer Fae will be willing to help workers with the injured as needed, offering herbal remedies and healing magic to those that want it. You'll also be invited to join them for dinner, but it feels like more of a formality, and no one is obligated to take them up on it. ► SUMMER PEOPLE: The fae here will do their best to entertain these new visitors - but it doesn't seem that much happens here besides day after day of peaceful meditation and relaxation. It is not uncommon to see Summer Fae spent days doing exactly the same thing, whether that be enjoying the weather, listening to music, or dancing - the day and night periods may be similar to earth, but when you don't need rest it can all blur together just the same. Some of the fae work on feats of agriculture or craftsmanship, and while there is no particularly need to work in this place, they take pride in the fact that they do. ► FAMILIAR FACES: One very different thing about the Summerlands this go around is that there appears to be a small settlement built at the base of the mountains, filled entirely with the former residents of the Manor. Alyss and Reyna will explain that they set up a place to live down there with the Summer Fae's help, and that the fae seems to be trying to remain hands off except when they are needed. The Manor folk overall seem to be doing well, though there is some tension regarding their place in the Summerlands - they are clearly seen as refugees, and while the Summer Fae do their best to help them, the arrival of the carnival and the request for even more help with refugee aid seems to be making things awkward. ► OF THINGS TO COME: The Summer Maiden will remain distant for the first few days, but according to Gild and based on personal observation, it will seem that the news that the Ringmaster has been taken and the idea that even more desperate mortals are requesting to come here are putting her at significant ill ease. She's not rude or dismissive, but she seems reluctant to address the situation head on, though she has said that she will hold a meeting with the carnival later in the week to discuss everything in more detail. None of them seem particularly angry or resentful, but they seem to regard the carnival as an ill portent of things to come.

Comments

[kingsroads]

'Radically changing the core of one's identity' is different from 'incredible superpowers' but okay Peridot, you do you.

"I used mine to keep my mind in one piece," Strange explains, with a little shrug. Though her incredible superpowers comment does interest him. "What sort of powers would you ask for yourself if you had the chance?"

[periphrasing]

Clearly, she has not actually devoted much time to thinking about this, because the question catches her completely flat footed. She squints with her mouth hanging open slightly, tired brain struggling to come up with a response.

"...The ability to read minds?" Peridot suggests blandly, after a too-long pause.

[kingsroads]

"Oh you can pick something better than that," Strange idly responds. But this does cement in his mind that it was a good thing that Peridot used her boon to help out Ignatius. If she had said something like 'super healing' or 'the ability to remove undue influences from people', then he'd give her grief about it, but considering that her power of choice was mind-reading, there's no need to be a snot aboutit.

"Humans think about all sorts of things that I don't think you'd want to listen in on."

[periphrasing]

"It's a practical power!" Peridot argues. She wasn't even that sold on the idea but Strange criticizing it is making her want to double down on it. "And it's not like I'd be listening all the time. I'd only use it when I think someone is lying to me, or we need to interrogate an enemy for information. I could use it on fae, too!"

And other non-humans. Strange. You anthropocentric bag of dicks.

[kingsroads]

"I can think of at least three better powers than mind-reading!" Strange teases in return. He's grinning as he teases, though: this is him being a shit for the sake of being a shit.

"Besides, I'm certain fae can block that ability. Lord knows that if I met someone who could read minds, I'd almost instantly start developing a counterspell to block it."

[periphrasing]

"But it would be mind reading powers gifted by creation. That's one of the only forces in the entire multiverse more powerful than a fae!" she insists. "Fine then. What would YOU ask for?"

[kingsroads]

"The ability to travel between worlds. Think of it, the only reason we all were caught by the Huntsman is because the Ringmaster was out of commission. If I could travel between worlds like she does, I'd have picked us all up and brought us elsewhere!"

If Strange has learned anything from his time at the carnival, it's that depending entirely on the Ringmaster is occasionally a bad idea. Why not have back-up and someone else who can do the thing and get them out of scrapes? Besides, if he could travel between worlds, then he could go home whenever he wished.

[periphrasing]

"That's--!" Ugh. "That's... actually pretty good," Peridot admits, grumbling and looking sulky. She wishes she'd thought of that...

[kingsroads]

Strange preens, giving Peridot an unbearably smug grin. Yeah, he knew he picked the better choice.

"Isn't it though? And if I could travel between worlds, then when we leave the carnival, I could visit you whenever I wished."

[periphrasing]

"Yeah... You could!" she looks considerably cheered by the thought. It's a little depressing knowing that it's not something they can actually do but. It makes her wonder if they can work towards it. Anything's possible, right?

Peridot pauses and glances at her hands, sheepishly fidgeting with her claws for a moment. "Hey. Um... I know you weren't especially keen on the idea, but. I'm glad you're still here with us. And that you didn't leave us all on Polaris."

[kingsroads]

Well, Strange is honestly a bit surprised to hear that! He blinks back a little bit of confusion before giving Peridot a slightly awkward smile.

"Thank you," he says, still not really bothering to hide the tone of surprise in his voice. There's a pause before he continues with, "I'm sorry I was a bit of an ass to you in Polaris. I haven't—" hmm, how best to explain this without it sounding like he considers his actions justified "—it's been hard lately. And I don't think I've coped all that well."

[periphrasing]

Peridot shrugs lightly. "Hmm. I will admit... you did say some pretty crappy stuff," she says bluntly, something of a lopsided smile on her lips. "But it was a pretty crappy situation, so, I understand. I don't think any of us were coping all that well."

She shifts slightly, curling her tail around herself. "I still think we're a team, with or without the Ringmaster. We got out of Polaris, we took down a powerful fae, and we're all still here together. That's not insignificant. I know you miss your wife a whole lot, but until you get back to her... You don't need to feel like you're alone. You have friends here who can help you through stuff."

[kingsroads]

Strange matches Peridot's smile with one of his own. As she curls her tail around herself, he sits down and slumps against the edge of the fountain, mostly so that they're closer to the same eye level. He can do this. Just talk to people, it's not that hard, Peridot will understand.

"That's the problem. I feel like I should do this on my own and it's damn hard accepting that I can't."

[periphrasing]

She glances at him sidelong, cocking her head slightly. "Why would you think you need to do everything on your own?" She doesn't sound judgmental or accusatory about it, just... curious about his thought process.

[kingsroads]

"That's just how it was back home," Strange explains, with a little shrug. He's nonchalant about this matter: not defensive or attacking, just explaining things the way they are. "England only had two recognized magicians: myself and my mentor, a man named Gilbert Norrell." Of course the obvious question is 'where the hell does Childermass fit in this equation', but that's another story.

"We worked together at certain points, but there were moments where I had to do things on my own due to personal conflicts or the fact that I was at war, on the continent, while he remained in England. As for here? It's not a secret that for a while, very few people shared my opinion of Ignatius. Likewise, up until these past few days, I was the only one to grapple with the Silver Mirror changing me."

So he just kind of withdrew into himself and tried to do everything on his own again. Old habits die hard.

[periphrasing]

Peridot listens patiently. She's still not sure she totally gets it? But she's at least making an effort.

"Mmm. I guess I can understand that," she replies after a moment, nodding slowly. "It doesn't help that working with other people and listening to them can be... difficult," she says, the last word growled slightly. "But... None of us can do this alone. As much as I love to boast of my success in killing the Mother of Invention, I can at least admit that I wouldn't have ever gotten that far if it hadn't been for the combined efforts of basically everyone else in the carnival. We're all dealing with forces much more powerful than anything we experienced back in our home universes-- and yes, I'm including your world with it's fae as well. I'd say that two entire courts of fae constitute a much more powerful force than the single entity you were dealing with back home. Not that I'm trying to say the ones you've dealt with in England are any less powerful and threatening than the ones here, just... You know." Peridot gestures vaguely with one hand. "There's even more of them to contend with now. We all need to readjust our expectations and limitations and adapt if we're going to make it through this."

[kingsroads]

Strange remains quiet as he listens to Peridot. Her pep talk is...awkward, at best, but he understands what she's saying. Work together and change your expectations or you're fucked. It's as simple as that. Just ignore the fact that it's easier said than done.

"When," Strange gently corrects Peridot. "When we make it through this. I refuse to die at the hands of one of the fae."

[periphrasing]

Peridot pauses for a moment, cocking her head at him. Then she snorts and flicks him lightly with the tuft of her tail.

"Yeah. You're right. Agreed," she says with a good natured grin. "You do understand what I'm saying though, right?"

[kingsroads]

Strange can't help but give Peridot a wry little grin as she flicks him with her tail.

"I do understand," he says, with a nod. Hell, Yuya practically told him the same thing when they had their conversation a few days ago. "The only way we'll manage to make it out of here is if we all work together as a team."

[periphrasing]

"Well, yes. In the broadest sense of things. But what I'm really trying to convey is that, just because you could manage to do everything on your own in your home world, doesn't mean that you can do it here... and there's no shame in acknowledging that! Every single one of us, we're all dealing with affairs of an exponentially larger scope than what any of us had to contend with in our old lives. Sure, that means it's harder for us to effect change in a meaningful way on an individual basis, but... It's like that one human catch phrase? Um." She taps her claws on her chin for a second, trying to remember how it goes. "Uhhh. OH! 'Every penny counts!' Except you and me, we're both definitely those other coins that are bigger and a bit more valuable than pennies are? We just have to remember that we're still pretty small in the grand scheme of things, and can't d this alone. AND we need to remember that the penny's contributions are still important, too."

She's trying so damn hard to make sense here, and the soul exhaustion is just not doing her any favors.

[kingsroads]

There is a whole lot of rambling here that Strange isn't entirely sure makes any sense. He frowns a little, raising an eyebrow before he gives Peridot a wry little smile.

"So you're saying even though we have to work together, can't do anything by ourselves, and barely matter according to everything, we still should act as though our contributions matter and we're still important." That's entirely self-contradictory! Strange can't help but laugh a little, shaking his head, before gentle teasing starts up again.

"I understand what you're trying to say. But perhaps you should rest a little before you try to say it again." Because yeah, this is a little all over the place. Also, because there's a high chance that Strange doesn't know the saying 'every penny counts' because Regency England (he gets the gist, though).

[periphrasing]

"If you understand what I'm saying then why do I need to say it again!?" Peridot says a little indignantly. The harshness of the response is significantly undercut by the way her voice slurs and her eyelids droop unevenly when she says it. It's pretty much like getting told off by a drunk toddler.

[kingsroads]

And once again, Strange badly represses the urge to laugh as he looks over at Peridot. She's so tired! It's so cute because she's trying so hard and yet she's so tired! And suddenly, Strange understands the appeal of watching sleepy children try to navigate the world.

"Get some sleep," he chides. "We'll continue arguing after you've had a nap."

[periphrasing]

"Fffeh! Meh... Ugh." Peridot's expression goes through a series of comically quick changes as she thinks of a witty retort and then forgets it in the literal exact same instant. Exhaustion is hitting her like a load of bricks; she spaces out for about seven solid seconds, brow creased in concentration as she tries to recall what the heck she was going to say.

...It's a lost cause. "Graahhh. Fine. I forget what we were talking about anyway," she snips, like she's getting the last word in, even though she continues to grumble herself as she wobbles to her feet. "This is the worst. Stupid soul damage. Clodding cruddy fairies."

[kingsroads]

"Do you want me to walk you to your quarters?" Strange teases, as he gives Peridot a grin. "After all, we wouldn't want you to pass out in the middle of the road!"

He is being a shit just to be a shit. Besides, Peridot deserves a little teasing for making him worry about her so much!