⇨ 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

[bananaspeedrider]

"That's right! Gotta be ready for when we go out to save the Ringmaster, sidelines or not."

How scraped up and dirty the boy looks after said practice rounds is certainly an additional testament to how hard at work he's been at this.

"It's the only other new trick I have besides blasting at things or slowly cutting metal."

[alphudo]

Yuugo's persistence is something worth smiling at; Yuusei reaches out and ruffles his hair, a seemingly-impressed glimmer in his eyes. "I'm glad you're getting some use out of it. From what I could see before, it looks like it's already paying off." He supposes Yuugo's current mastery of his plasma breath helps with that.

"You want something to drink?" he asks. "I'd like to see what all you've come up with for it." In the way of strategy, he means. "No sense in leaving you wore out for it, though."

[bananaspeedrider]

Though caught off guard, Yugo is more than happy to take it in stride aside from reflexively brushing over his head. Who wouldn't be enamored over being within the eye of someone so famous in another world? Especially since his own dragon seemed to have a similar affinity toward Yusei's dragon.

"Sounds a good idea actually. I've probably thrown myself around enough on just feeling for how it works."

[alphudo]

They never got to have their duel, did they? Yuusei's appreciated his time in the carnival as a break away from the clamour of the city. It was why he chose to contract on - he wanted some time to prepare for the tides of change - and with everything that he's endured during his time here, he's frankly forgotten he's anything of an icon to begin with. He will readily admit, though, that it's a nice thing.

Yuusei produces a water bottle from a bag he'd brought with him. He has plenty more since he'd intended on being out for awhile. "If we go to the Wyldlands - when we go - what do you plan on doing? I know that's a hard question to answer without a plan from everyone else, but... I've been trying to think of ways to make myself useful."

[bananaspeedrider]

"Trying to not get caught alone with a Wyld Fae more than happy to eat me, that seems pretty important."

Half jokes aside though...

"Other than that, I'm sure there's plenty of reason between us to go." Yugo hangs onto that train of thinking as he drinks from the bottle. "Because I'm starting to notice that when certain things happen to any of us in the carnival, they either come back to bite us or help the rest of the carnival later on."

Usually the former if not at all. But maybe it just means Yugo is hoping for the latter.