Nexus Spring Market Fair

[varnished_truths]

Seemingly overnight, one of the grassy areas edging the Forum has been taken over by a spring market and fair. Part state fair, part craft fair, part Renaissance faire, there are attractions for all comers. Tents and booths of every size, shape, and color are lined up more or less tidily, sometimes with wide avenues between them and sometimes with paths skinny enough to crowd a single person. Goods and treats from the far-flung corners of infinity are on display. The general organization has magic and alchemical goods grouped together and slightly separated from the other tents; arts and crafts fill the area around it. Goods such as clothes and jewelry, plants, and vintage and antique items are in the back. Food is front and center, between the entrance and the rides. This is perhaps not an ideal placement.

To one side is a brightly-lit collection of rides and games familiar to anyone who's been to a state fair. A ferris wheel, flying swings, and all manner of reasons to regret that last funnel cake are blaring tinny music and sporting blinking lights. Remember: rides first, then eat. Classic games that test strength, agility, and luck offer plush prizes sure to delight anyone until the fur rubs off. There are also some animal rides near the exit.

In the back of the roughly-fenced-in area are the exhibits. There's a petting zoo with creatures mundane and more exotic, all promised to be tame; practical demonstrations of new magical and technological wonders; a juried art show; and a stage hosting a variety of performers changing on the hour.

((This is an open event. If your character wants to have a booth selling wares or food, set one up. If your character wants to perform or provide other services, go for it! Please note what sort of service you're providing, if any, in the subject line of your top-level comment. Basically, just run with it and have fun!

I offer pictoral inspiration and ask that any pictures used in comments not be more than 300 px tall (and it looks better if you can keep it about the same height as your text). Code to have your text wrap around your picture below.))

<img src="blah.png" height="300" style="border: 0pt none; float:left; padding-right:10px; padding-bottom:10px">

Comments

[thepizzalord]

Harry shrugs. "Okay, but you might wanna get comfortable."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Schön inclines his head, wordlessly indicating that he is adequately comfortable and prompting Harry to begin the tale.

[thepizzalord]

"Okay, so this isn't actually my home universe or whatever," Harry begins. At least, as far as he knows, it's not. "So this is mostly secondhand stuff. But apparently, way back when, someone made these giant eldritch Artificial Intelligence horrors called Reapers to destroy all spacefaring civilization every fifty thousand years. We're still not entirely sure why. But most advanced technology is built on what people thought was Prothean tech, the civilization that was around the last time the Reapers came to call. Turns out it's really Reaper tech, and they leave it around so galactic society develops in a way that makes them easy to take out."

"No one really believes in the Reapers, even though one attacked the Citadel a couple years ago. People would rather stick their heads in the sand and pretend it's a geth creation, something less scary than 'giant unknown Cthulhu critters' anyway. Shepard - that's my commanding officer," and his girlfriend, but never mind that, "is one of the only ones who's been trying to get to the bottom of it since this whole mess started. The Alliance, that's the Earth's space navy, were behind her at first but then the ship blew up and she died officially, and it just was easier to deny the whole thing I guess."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"That didn't take so long, after all," the thin man points out with a hint of amusement (although he had listened quite attentively during the story itself), "and it seems you have something to ward after all. You said your commander died officially, do I take it that unofficially she yet persists?"

[thepizzalord]

"That's because it's not done," Harry says, also looking a little amused. "Since you're asking questions and all." And he imagines that a lot of what he says will open up even more questions, because it's really hard to tell this in chronological order. It's not like he wanted to make it a history lecture anyway; he's always done better with actual conversation instead of just blathering on about himself.

"She's alive, yeah. After the attack, Cerberus retrieved her body and spent two years rebuilding her. That's the only reason I agreed to work with them in the first place. And, well, now that the Alliance has decided that the Reapers are bullshit, Cerberus is the only group trying to do anything about it."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

Schön looks utterly unrepentant about asking questions--it's what Harry wanted him to do, after all. "'Rebuilding?'" he echoes. "What an ominous term for a recuperation. One not chosen lightly, I gather?"

[thepizzalord]

It's easier that way, so Harry doesn't mind one bit. This part of the story, of course, is not one that he enjoys. "Pretty much. I don't even know how much cybernetics they put in her. Even magic wouldn't have been able to bring her back like they did. Best I could've done would be a zombie. She was... very, very dead."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Ah, very troubling," the thin man agrees. "I do know of some magics that return the dead to life, if you're interested. Some even have the sort of results one intends, when seeking such things." Unspoken is that such magic won't exactly be sitting in the bargain bin.

[thepizzalord]

Harry immediately shakes his head. "I know better than to break the Laws of Magic. If I ever did get home and the White Council found out, it'd be off with my head, and I rather like it where it is."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Ah, but do your Laws of Magic extend beyond the reach of your world, into others? Do they override the local policies of such things?"

[thepizzalord]

"I don't think the White Council have any clue about the existence of other universes, besides stuff like Faerie and stuff like that. And they're not exactly lenient on that sorta thing." Not to mention he's already damned his soul anyway, but that's not something he tells even most of his closest friends, let alone strangers. "So yeah, they wouldn't care."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

The thin man gives a sniff of disdain. "I'm not certain I like the sound of your White Council. If they expect to enforce their silly rules on the multiverse, let them come here and make the attempt in person."

[thepizzalord]

"I can't say I'm a fan either," Harry says dryly. "I'm not too worried about them tryin' to impose it on you fine folks, but my neck would be on the line. I'll pass, but thanks."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"As you will, sir Warder. Perhaps you can tell me what wouldn't put your Council's starched white smallclothes in a bunch? I offer a breadth of options."

[thepizzalord]

"Defensive magic is one of my favorites," Harry says, and if Schön has any magical senses of his own, he's likely already spotted the multitude of protective spells woven directly into Harry's leather duster, never mind the shield bracelet on his left wrist. "Investigative stuff isn't against the rules either. Tracking spells and so forth. Mostly they're just worried about time travel, mind magic, necromancy, and transforming people."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Mm. Better kept out of most hands, I'll concede." He looks Harry over thoughtfully, before musing, "it seems you've quite the comprehensive suite of protections, already. All your own work?"

[thepizzalord]

Harry nods, and this is one thing he can take pride in. "Yeah. Years worth of work. It's saved my skinny butt more times than I care to count. I'm having a hell of a time recreating it for Shepard though. Lost all my books when I went through the Rift."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Impressive," Schön murmurs at the moment he's meant to. But then the tale turns tragic; "ah, now that is a pity. It may be that I could find a host of protections for your Shepard which all play nicely together, but alas, it would not be your own work."

[thepizzalord]

"Honestly, I don't really care whether it's a Dresden original or not, as long as it keeps her from being a crispy critter again." Harry won't let stupid pride get in the way of that. "Some is better than nothing."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Noble sentiment," the thin man murmurs. "Perhaps you could tell me precisely the sorts of protection the lady is likely to need? It would help in making the proper arrangements."

[thepizzalord]

Harry's not used to singling out types of damage; he just goes for protection against everything and adds more as necessary. Though he hasn't been without his blind spots in that regard either. Under the glove on his left hand, the horrible burns attest to that fact. "Energy weapons are around, but she's usually being shot at with kinetic stuff. Then there's good ol' concussion force and fire from explosions."

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"Mm-hm, mm-hm. Might I ask what you're willing to countenance in the way of cost?"

[thepizzalord]

"Well normally I'd offer potion-brewing or spellcasting in exchange, but sounds like you've already got that covered. Unless there's something I can do that you don't know about." You can never be too careful in the multiverse. There are all kinds of magic that don't exist in certain places.

[u_can_have_it_4_a_song]

"I am never averse to being owed services by another mage," Schön admits. "Your mention of temporal magics intrigue me, but I believe you also said that was one of your precious Council's taboos." It's not usually good business to make the asking price for something an eventual execution--although some people will take it even so.

"Perhaps you could tell me a little bit about what you can do, sir Warder, that I might judge the value of your work?"

[thepizzalord]

"Back when I was still in Chicago, I worked as a paranormal investigator," Harry says, and he manages to find one of his very few remaining business cards in the pocket of his duster. It's battered and creased, but still readable. "Anything a detective can do, I can do better. I'm also an expert at blowing stuff up or setting it on fire," he adds with a grin.