
In most countries, the word "acrobat" describes a type of circus performer. In Carnipelago, it describes an entire culture. Since the early 19th century, when the trapeze artists and tumblers of the original shipwrecked landers made off for the lush jungle and formed their own little hive-like commune, The Treehouses, the Acrobats of Carnipelago have had an insular, secretive way-of-life, but one that is still a vital cog in the Island society as a whole. Here is a look at a brief encounter between one young, but high-ranking, member of the tribe and another who is somewhat down on his luck, serving time as an "Imperial Lifeguard" on a remote beach instead of wielding power in the Treehouse - or athletic prowess in The Ring.