Day 64, Public Channel

[whattaprick]

[ After the Ringmaster's finished kicking everyone out and the tent arrangements are more or less settled... ]

So, I'm up. [ Short and to the point. ] Heard people were yelling at my nightrunners. You wanna yell about it some more, you can come yell at me.

[ That's it, that's the post. ]

Comments

[whattaprick]

It's called Axii, something called a witcher sign -- a weaker, but quicker to cast version of a spell made for use in a fight. Mostly works on those who don't have any means of defending against it to start with.

[scientificist]

That doesn't at all explain its function: what sort of compulsion do you mean? What does it compel?

[whattaprick]

It makes the target suggestible to simple commands from the caster. “Stop moving.” “Attack your friend.” “Act like a chicken.” That kind of thing.

[scientificist]

[Herbert goes quiet for a moment. He can't feasibly avoid another Supervisor.]

I want you to promise never to use Axii on me. A formal promise.

[whattaprick]

Even if you’re being controlled by a Fae? Can’t. If you’re about to do anything to harm the Carnival, I’ll stop you any way I can.

[scientificist]

[Another pause.] It's short term. [That's a question, even if it isn't phrased like one.]

[whattaprick]

Yeah. Most people can shake it off on their own in less than a minute. Some people it doesn’t work on at all.

Could try it on you, if you wanted to know for sure.

[scientificist]

[Even longer silence of Herbert seriously thinking about this. It would be. Convenient. To get over this fear. Lambert is certainly more trustworthy than Hill. As far as he knows. No, it's, the Ringmaster wouldn't let anyone like Hill operate here. He's fairly confident in that.]

Alright. Yes...but iiiiif it does function on me then I want a promise you'll only use it if I'm, being controlled by someone else at the time! Is this acceptable?

[whattaprick]

Sure. I might also use it to calm you down if you’re freaking out, but from what I’ve seen that’s not much of a problem, is it?

[ Herbert is an oddball, but a surprisingly level one. Giggling in the Elysium being a notable exception. ]

[scientificist]

Eeeven so, I would prefer to be given the option to calm myself down without, mental interference. Is this...spell something which takes a significant amount of exertion for you? I'd like to...get this out of the way.

[He's not quite at Giggling At The Elysium level, but he does actually seem a little bit worked up. Go figure.]

[whattaprick]

It doesn’t.

[ But, he’s also watching his boyfriend set up their tent and wants to sleep in it for an age, so he’s not keen on Herbert coming over either. ]

You’re setting up a med tent, right? I’ll come find you later.

[scientificist]

Right. That...would be fine, I won't be going anywhere as far as I know.

> action

[whattaprick]

[ It’s later that Lambert turns up — after breaking the new tent in with a nice heavy nap — to see what Herbert’s up to. ]

Hey. [ He waves a hand, tiredly. ]

[scientificist]

[Herbert's eyes flick over him, working out if he looks any better. He's simultaneously feeling very anxious and doing his best not to show it. Carefully, he sets his book aside, and stands up. He's not tall, but at least this way Lambert isn't utterly looming over him and making him feel even less in control of this situation.

He hates this. Thanks a lot, Hill. This can't be allowed to stand.]

Lambert. [In acknowledgement.] Doing...better?

[whattaprick]

Like a slightly less steaming pile of shit, yeah.

[ Lambert is eloquent. ]

You ready for this?

[scientificist]

Yes. [No. What if he can't trust Lambert? This is idiocy, he's opening himself up to all sorts of tampering, probably.]

...wait. Promise me before you do it. Officially. [Worked-up!Herbert kind of looks like he's pouting, even though that's not the look he's going for.] I want your word you won't use your, mind control on me after this--if this functions on me--except to break someone else's.

[whattaprick]

[ Lambert honestly doesn't know how Herbert expects to enforce that, but it's no skin off his nose to promise, so he shrugs and nods. ]

Fine, I promise won't use any mind control on you unless it's to save your ass or unless you ask for it again. Now do you want this to happen or not?

[scientificist]

[Good. Herbert has no exact idea how it might be enforced, but he knows one of the Carnival's rules is about keeping important promises. So hopefully the Ringmaster will believe him about this promise if Lambert breaks his word. It's the best safety net he can angle for, in this case, he doubts having it written down will help when Lambert could just. Order him to destroy the evidence. Ugh. He doesn't feel like Lambert's that sort of man, but Dr Gruber was wrong, after all.]

Yes...yes, alright. Let's get it over with.

[whattaprick]

[ Now here's the real test: what to ask Herbert for? It's probably not a good idea to get on the bad side of the man mostly responsible for patching you back up, but on the other, Lambert's pretty much a natural-born troublemaker, so it's pretty tempting to order him to do something embarrassing. ]

Right. [ He says, finally considering. ] I'm going to give you two orders, so you can feel how different they are.

[ He waves a hand in the air, fingers moving quickly. The spell takes hold instantly: Herbert will start finding his thought processes slowing, like trying to come up with whole sentences through fog. ]

Take a seat. [ They're more than just words -- Lambert's willpower is behind the command, impressing itself on Herbert's. Was there a reason to refuse? Those might escape Herbert right now. ]

[scientificist]

Fine... [He watches Lambert's hand as it moves...it looks like sign language more than any sort of magician's gestures--

--and that's as far as he gets in analysis before it feels like...everything is static but his attentiveness to Lambert. He looks across slowly from his hand to focus on his face. With Hill, it was like staring from the inside while someone else puppeted his responses. With the Prince, it was long enough to have a growing feeling of confused Wrongness. This is just slow, and calm, and immediate, almost dreamlike. There's a slight furrow to his brows but he sees no reason to refuse. All right.

He sits back down in his chair and waits.]

[whattaprick]

[ So far, so good. Lambert pauses for a moment, but he already knows what he wants to ask. ]

Tell me who you want to see on your table the most.

[ It's a little different from the first command, since it leaves Herbert more room to think within its parameters. How hard and how quickly Herbert feels compelled to answer may depend on how he interprets the question, and if there's any confusion about the command itself. ]

[scientificist]

[Oh, well, that's easy enough, as it's on his mind due to recent discoveries. He leans a bit in like he's just. Divulging a juicy secret to Lambert.]

The Ringmaster. As a dragon. Not dead, something easy to solve--I don't yet understand how she's put together but a chance...to determine her anatomy would be, invaluable... I don't have any information on creatures like her.

[whattaprick]

[ Wow. Not the answer Lambert was expecting. ]

‘To determine her anatomy.’ [ He echoes. ] Somehow, I don’t think she’d be into it.

[scientificist]

[Well he certainly wasn't going to pick up on the potential alternate meaning.]

It's unlikely, I'm aware, I doubt the Fae need surgery. [Lambert hasn't asked anything else so that comment is a little less instinctual and dreamlike, a little more his real analysis.]

[whattaprick]

I don't think you have anything that could cut into her, either. [ But oh, right, the spell's still going. Lambert waves a hand, dismissing it carelessly. ]

You want weird creatures, go ask Ginko about the menagerie.