⇨ New Location: THE SUMMERLANDS

[ringleaders]

PREPARATION↴ This time, there is no preparation. When the Severing was broken, the Ringmaster immediately returned everyone to the carnival, no matter their earthly location - only to then drag the carnival's realm all the way to the Summerlands right after. As the workers arrive, they will have been scattered around the carnival grounds, back in their original bodies - including their old faerie changes, of course, plus perhaps a few new ones. Bodies and memories will return to what they were before Portland, and while the life they lived there will stay with them as memories, they will only now be left to fully contemplate what they just experienced. SETTING↴ The Summerlands are an idyllic realm of glorious mountain-top cities and vast fields of flowers and grass. It is inhabited almost entirely by the Summer Fae, a faction of the Summer Court which broken ties with their Arcadia homeland a long time ago. Veterans that have been with the carnival since the vampire's first attack will remember staying here for a couple months while everyone was recovering. The fae here will remember those workers as well, with an accuracy that is sometimes eerie. There is plenty to do in the Summer Fae's city - though there is far more space than there is people, given that there are only a few hundred fae present here. There is no shortage of good food, music, and dancing - with plenty of other amenities like waterfall-side pools and gardens filled with small miracles. All workers will be offered rooms they can stay in within the city if they prefer, but they are also welcome to stay within the carnival grounds if that makes them more comfortable. There is magical wildlife of various sorts, but none of it is particularly aggressive beyond basic predatory tendencies. The days and nights and both of pleasant temperature and weather. It's only major downside is that the peaceful and unchanging nature of civilization can come across as unsettling to those unaccustomed. Once you have been welcomed here, it's like you never left. PATRONS↴ ► SUMMER FAE: Many carnival members have likely been given an unflattering view of Summer Court fae, given their actions back in Portland. However, despite the fae here being very similar in magical ability and physical form, they possess none of the maliciousness or aggression that their kindred have elsewhere. Their behaviour towards visitors is polite, if reserved, and will only be more courteous the more kindness you show towards them in return. A good deed receives a good deed in return, it seems - though it seems likely that the same would go for ill deeds, as well. Fae are predominantly humanoid, with supernaturally beautiful (if oddly samey) features and a variety of skin colours and superficial physical distinctions. The structure is always similar, though the colours and style vary wildly. Some have plants for hair, some have horns, some have small amounts of feathers or scales, placed in aesthetically pleasing manners. One major distinction is that about two thirds of the population have wings of various kinds, while the other third does not. Apparently this is a racial divide, among True Fae. In the Summer and Winter Courts, fae with wings are generally less powerful and considered of a lower class, working as servant to the higher caste. They also tend to be much smaller in body, appearing in forms as small as a cat all the way to a particularly short human. The Summer Fae will explain that these castes are not enforced within the Summerlands, but any further explanation will require some investigation. All True Fae go by titles rather than given names. However, some of these titles will shorten to things that sound like names. DANGERS↴ ► SUSPICIOUSLY... NOTHING?: The Summer Fae themselves may seem like enough of a threat, after what some witnessed in Portland. However, here, they seem to be perfectly civil, and claim no affiliation with the Summer Court you've just become familiar with. It's hard not to feel like there must be some kind of catch, or hidden ruse, but... maybe this place is actually as safe as it claims to be. REWARDS↴ Any specific rewards will be earned though exploration and NPC interactions. There are no huge mysteries lurking here, but it's possible to score some info about the carnival's metaplot if you ask the right questions. There may also be some random item opportunities, depending on how things go. CHANGES↴ No changes, at the moment. Wasn't getting retconned into a totally different person enough for one month? Beyond that, this is a PLOTTING POST, which means you can use it to make plans! The game chat is also a great place to discuss plots, so we welcome you to pop on in if you haven't already! A mingle log will be posted tomorrow.

Comments

CHILDERMASS

[atouts]

refusing to speak to any of you ever again

I mean—

THINGS JOHN CHILDERMASS WILL BE UP TO:

- He's finally evolving his Growlithe from Alola, Baker, into an Arcanine, so there will be a massive fluffy fire dog running around the carnival now.

- Since he picked up Faerie Aspect (Winter Court) from Portland, the Summer Fae are... going to be giving him a massive side-eye. Not being rude or anything, but it's enough that Childermass will spend his time in the Summerlands exploring out of sight (via shadows) or out away from the city itself. He will also be finding the pleasant summery temperature to be slightly bothersome. Maybe he should stop wearing like five goddamn layers, who knows...

- At the carnival, he'll be spending a lot of time sulking and smoking on the far side of the lake, assuming wrongly that few people will bother trekking that far to pester him. Seeing as a huge bright orange dog will be with him, it won't exactly difficult to spot where he is.

- Job upgrade, more on that to come IC.

- Messing around with more magic? Working a few bugs out of a shadow prison spell? Just magic stuff. Always magic stuff.

- Change-wise, his rare change isn't actively visible. His blood has been replaced by "shadows", which is just an edgy way of saying he bleeds black mist now. He'll also be keeping fae marks, but they're basically just that the scars left behind by the Count's ritual will glow around faerie magic, as fae marks do.

So he'll be around, both in the carnival proper and out in the Summerlands. In spite of being a huge avoidant sulk, he's not actually that difficult to drag along for whatever else anyone might be up to.

[hippocarnival]

Childermass is on Yuya's list of 'people to make sure aren't dead' since least he saw him he was strung up to be bled dry. How are u recovering after nearly being sacrificed, buddy.

[atouts]

not too well but he's Childermass and therefore will never admit as much, sooo. He's fine. Everything's fine. Things are fine.

[whattaprick]

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START

Haivng said that, given that Childermass has a bright orange dog and Lambert has a huge horse, I'd like to believe they spend lake-sulking days smoking and glaring at the distant silhouette of the other guy across the water. So close, so far.

[atouts]

RELATIONSHIP: COMPLICATED

Eventually, they'll have to talk. Eventually. Most likely when Childermass starts finding avoiding the idiot to be just too damn inconvenient.

[whattaprick]

Alternatively, Lambert or Strange says something that Childermass HAS to react to while they talk about plot stuff. One way or another, they'll deal with it. :')