I'll assume no one made my obligatory bring a buddy announcement while I wasn't here, so this is that warning.


Didya miss me?

[LABOR CHANNEL]

Mandatory check-in, whether I know you or not.

If anybody's been slacking tell me and I'll work out a proper punishment.

[Around the start of the new performance week, the Ringmaster will light up everyone's radios with an important message. Or, rather, some important musing.]

Hello, this is the Ringmaster speaking. I say that for the benefit of any new arrivals - everyone else surely recognizes my voice, by now. The rest of this may leave you in the dust as it will be touching on some carnival history, but you can may questions if you want to get up to date.

So, I spent a lot of time thinking when the lot of you were busy with that Pillar drama. As most are aware, a couple months ago we went on a mission to retrieve an extremely powerful artifact called the Blue Rose, which we have been using to defend the carnival from faerie threats. Which, seems successful so far, given that Nightshade didn't dare enter the grounds the entire time we were there! A victory, indeed.

It got me thinking, though... the Blue Rose actually comes as a set. As I've explained to a few of you, the Blue Rose is an organism created by the first Queens of Arcadia. Only three artifacts of its kind exist, as far as I know, and I fairly sure that none of them are actually in faerie hands.

So, I thought... what if we were somehow able to get the other two? Not only would that be enough to ward off the Courts completely, it would go a long way to defending us against any of the other nonsense we come across! Perhaps we could even go back to business as usual, for a while...

Anyway, in an attempt to be more forthcoming, I am presenting this idea to you for general 'work shopping' purposes. I know that the Blue Rose was a big hassle to get, but we know so much more now than we did then! I think it's worth a second look.

Months ago, during the Celebration, a few of us got together to talk about and compare the magic from our worlds. Well, it's been a while since then and we've certainly picked up more magicians, so why not revive that little discussion group?

[ he's phrasing it as a hypothetical but as Strange keeps barging on, there's nothing hypothetical about it: he is totally reviving that discussion group. ]

I've asked around and the smaller festival hall in the building closest to the carnival portal is available for our use. Anyone who's interested should meet there tonight, just after sundown, for an informal gathering to talk about magic. There will be space inside the festival hall and outside in the snow for anyone to demonstrate their techniques.

Likewise, anyone who wishes to learn about magic should come and visit as well. [ And there's a bit of a pause like Strange is trying his hardest to choose his words carefully. ] Magicians in the carnival have different types of magic drawing upon different techniques. While one school of thought might seem incomprehensible, another might seem as clear as day. This is a chance for those of us with magic to learn from each other and develop our skills and those of us who wish to learn magic to see what practice would best fit their needs.

[ There's a pause, because Strange has no idea how to end this. ] Sound off if you're coming, I suppose. Oh, and can someone bring snacks?

( ooc: this is an ic post about mage club, an idea floated around on the cr meme a while back. I'll put up a mingle log later in the week for the actual meeting itself. as for this post, feel free to threadjack around! )

[ There are a lot of things people need to do right now: help the Prince's servants get resettled, get started on figuring out who can work on a cure for the petrification, deal with the trauma of dying in a hopefully healthy and non-self-destructive way, show the new people the ropes of what the Carnival has to work with.

Instead, in the morning of the second day since the Prince was defeated, anyone on the radio gets this: ]

So, I've been wondering.

[ The Nightrider's voice, for those who recognize it, has definitely been better. It's a low, hoarse rasp, and the pause at the end is not just for effect, but to actually catch his breath. ]

Just how old is everyone here, anyway? Here, I'll start. I'm ... pretty sure I'm almost sixty. [ A beat. ] ... Maybe.

[ Why did anyone let this man have his radio back again? ]

[ ooc; Lambert's flat on his back in the medical tent for this, feel free to bug him in person and threadjack each other at will. ]

[Way too much shit has been happening lately, from Julien's call on the radio to San's disappearance to the whole uneasy mess that was the Prince's little hunting excursion. What can Joker even do? He's the Stage Manager; this is out of his jurisdiction.]

[According to Lambert and Childermass, however, he can at least do this.]

Hello, folks. This is yer Stage Manager again, with a little reminder. We are guests here. So try ta follow the rules that have been set in place, alright? This includes at dinner, and at curfew.

I know we're all real curious, half of ya probably never even been in a castle before, but it bears repeatin'-

[And he very suddenly drops his warm and thick accent, going for something that almost sounds proper and is, thus, weird as hell coming out of Joker's mouth.]

Don't break the rules or curfew.

[Aaaaaand then it's back again.]

If yer havin' any trouble with anythin' or have questions, I'm available right now. Yer free ta come find me, over in the library. Have a good night, everyone.

[And for the love of god, don't do something stupid. He knows that's a lot to ask for, but please.]

[Sans is blue.]
[Lambert is dark red.]

( [ Supervisors’ Channel ] )

[ Public Channel ]

[ Lambert’s voice is terse, and irritable: ]

Our next stop’s called Heartstone Manor. We’re going to go over some ground rules to make everyone's life, especially mine, a lot easier.

[Sans is also here.]

The RM has already covered a lot of this in her announcement, but it is officially our jobs to make sure that it sinks in. Dealt with True Fae before? Then you know this isn’t a joke. Yes, your fashion sense and table etiquette are now a matter of life and death. This is me, Sans, telling you to take this seriously. Hopefully that means something to you.

To summarize the gist of what was said, here are some basic RULES. The Nightrider and I will be watching. So, even if the Prince doesn’t catch you, we will.

[Sans recites “The Rules” like he’s just whipped out a pair of reading glasses and is quoting them from an official document:]

DO:

• Follow the daily schedule
• Follow dress code
• Be polite to The Prince and his servants
• Keep your radio on you

DON’T:

• Whine about everything
• Seed rebellion or talk about rules breaking on the network
• Make any deals or promises to other fae servants
• Lay any hard disses on The Prince, ever, under any circumstances
• Don’t sweat the small stuff: this is gunna grate on a lot of us, so just focus on the end goal… which is not dying

Don’t mess it up.

That, too.

Nightrider Lambert here. In case you haven't heard by now: the things on Kerner Island eat settled daemons. So find somewhere else to take a daytrip. If you go anyway, do me a favor and keep your radio on you. That way we can all hear what it sounds like when a soul gets eaten.

[ He's about to leave it on that cheerfully sarcastic note, but then the faint sound of a female voice chimes in, scolding. For those who've met her, they'll recognize it as Lambert's daemon, the golden-eyed polecat that wears a hawk's shape outside the carnival. ]

Lambert! You didn't have to say it like that!

[ It doesn't seem to shame him one bit, though, since Lambert's going to keep right on talking: ]

For those of you whose daemon hasn't settled yet, that doesn't mean you get to be an idiot about going out there. Slipping and breaking your neck would be a stupid way to die. That said, if you're interested in doing some nightrunner work--

Come find us! [ The daemon interrupts again, louder this time, and there's a brief sound of a scuffle before her voice finally comes through loud and clear. Now it's Lambert who sounds more distant (and distinctly annoyed), though she talks right over him. ] We've got a map and other things you can use!

[ ooc: Lambert and his daemon will both be replying to his post (and probably fighting over the radio button, honestly). For ease of clarity, her responses will be in italics! ]

[ After all that super serious fae speculation, surely the Nightrider would have something important to say, right? Of course he doesn't. ]

All right, so which of you jokers put an egg in Pig's pen?

[ If he sounds faintly annoyed, it's because he is. ]

Now I can't get her out of there -- and before you ask, yes, I tried putting her back in the ball, and then she tried stepping on my head. Obviously, I'm just a little concerned why my horse has decided to try and hatch whatever this is-- [ He breaks off midway, yelling away from the radio. ]

Hey! Baker! I told you to leave that alone!

[ And on that inconclusive note, the radio post ends. ]

If anyone, older member or newer arrival, wants information on... [ oh lord, this is going to take a while. Strange sighs slightly before obviously reading off a list of terms he's written down. ] Arcadia, the Rose Queen, Ignatius, Nightshade, the Count of Crows, Frost, the Summer Court, the Winter Court, how faerie court hierarchies work, the Wyld Fae, or the Beast, then I'll be happy to tell you what I know. I picked up some knowledge from my time in Portland and through conversations with the fae here and, for obvious reasons, don't want to bore all of you with far too many details and speculations at once.

[ There's a pause, partly to catch his friggen breath, before Strange continues talking. ]

I can at least explain Portland, though--for our new arrivals, of course. It's a city where the carnival was recently trapped for a month. Many members had their memories altered and believed they lived in the city for their entire lives. It was a...trying experience.

[ Understatement of the century. Strange sighs, like he's steeling himself for what he's going to say next. ]

Portland had it's own set of fae, some of whom I mentioned in my previous list. Plenty of the carnival members have ill-will towards those fae, who seemed determined to vex us and ruin our lives during that month. And despite the fact that we've left that world, I've a feeling that we'll see those fae again. Now that the Severing's removed, they can travel to different worlds the same way the Ringmaster can. And it wouldn't surprise me if some tried to reclaim what or who they believe they lost.

[ how dramatic! And quite possibly the worst way to end a broadcast as Strange just flips the radio off then and there. He has absolutely no clue how to best END the broadcast so not being cryptic is officially for chumps. ]

[Eldath, he hates using this thing, but he has to has to has to get used to it if he wants to actually survive around here. So...]

Two questions...


One, would anyone lend me their pokemon to practice an act?


Two, is there a way to figure out someone's birthday if they don't know it?