Saint-Pelagia-on-the-Carnival

The world is in perpetual carnival. Saint-Pelagia (the largest city) and the surrounding region of about three million people have been celebrating without pause for somewhere between 30 and 300 years — the records are unclear, possibly deliberately. Streets are filled with parades; buildings are draped in changing decorations; everyone wears masks during certain hours; the music never stops. The economy has reorganized itself around the carnival. Children grow up inside it. There is no clear distinction between performance and life.

To play their part well. Saint-Pelagians believe — sometimes explicitly, often as background assumption — that the carnival is the world's correct state, and that participating fully is a moral and civic good. People who don't participate are tolerated but considered slightly unwell.

Aware and trading, casually. Several Paths are integrated into specific carnival events — a particular procession ends at a Path-arch, a certain mask-changing ritual at midsummer is also a Path traversal. Solace is welcome here as long as Solace personnel are willing to participate appropriately. Solace personnel often dread the assignment.