dark_circus: (Default)
dark_circus ([personal profile] dark_circus) wrote in [community profile] paradisalogs2014-10-25 10:31 pm

By the pricking of my thumbs...

Who: Everyone
What: A carnival arrives
When: October 26th-29th
Where: The grounds between the city and the castle
Rating: pg-13 for some dark themes and mild horror

It's the early hours of the morning when everything is still dark that it happens. Heralded by the sound of calliope music and the crunch of dirt as the wagon train crests the hill nearing the castle. Other than this, there is very little sound to be heard as they halt off of the side of the path. A chill wind cuts through the air as a man disembarks the lead wagon, gazes up at the towering walls of the castle, and then directs a silent symphony with the wave of his hand. Wagons scatter and unfold, issuing forth a stream of dark figures and fluttering tents, like great bats in the night. The whole thing takes only minutes, and then is still.

By day, it seems mostly normal. The dark tents are brightly colored in the daylight, if not faded, and the air resounds with music and smells of popcorn and cotton candy. There's plenty to do and see to a casual attendee. The midway bristles with simple fair games ring tosses to balloon popping to a strongman game. There are small attractions everywhere like jugglers and fire-eaters. Those tired of games might brave the mirror maze, though it's an unsettling place even in the day. There is a small zoo to browse. Some of the animals are ordinary - pigs, goats, ponies, and ducks, though there are odd additions such as small blue horses, long-tailed antelopes, and a spotted lion (in a cage).There is a merry-go-round, but a sign out front reads out of order. The large tent at the end of the fairway is shut during these hours, though not necessarily to more adventurous prying eyes.

But the real attraction starts long after the sun has set. Flyers will circulate to patrons advertising the sideshow. Maybe you'll be handed one by a worker, or see it blowing over the leaf-strewn ground, or maybe the owner himself will place it into your hands. Mr. Dark, a tall man in an impeccable black suit, the sleeves rolled back to reveal arms covered in colorful tattoos, prowls the grounds greeting and amazing those he meets.

It's in the dark that the wrongness lurking just out of the corner of one's eye comes out to play. Mr. Dark, stripped to the waist to show off his grotesque menagerie of creatures on his skin, gladly draws in visitors to the freakshow within the dimly lit interior of the tent. See the blind seer, her eyes sewn closed. See the conjoined twins, the bearded lady, the human skeleton. An insect-like humanoid lifts weights over here. A blank-faced bat-winged creature lurks near top of the tent. An elven-featured face, collared with an iron necklace, floats disembodied on another side, invisible hands juggling objects.

And outside, the stationary merry-go-rounds moves, a siren song playing from inside, a ghostly green glow wisping from it's edges like smoke. Why don't you come take a ride? See a show? Step into the shadows...

((NOTE: Log will be divided by days. Please specify day or night in your post header. NPC interaction is most likely during the night, but Mr. Dark is available at all hours. If you'd like interaction with him or any other npc, do no hesitate to pm any mod account or post in the ooc comm.)).
lord_wizard: (profile)

[personal profile] lord_wizard 2014-10-29 06:34 am (UTC)(link)
[His gaze follows her before flicking back to the pens]

Probably. But it looks to me as if this carnival dragged some of the Dead Zone along with it. Meaning it might have been wandering around out there for some time. Those horses? From the Blossom Drifts. Those antelope? Terre Haute.
lord_wizard: (profile)

[personal profile] lord_wizard 2014-10-29 06:37 am (UTC)(link)
It's not entirely pleasant, but it's truly frightening to those of us with abilities on which rely.
lord_wizard: (fire)

[personal profile] lord_wizard 2014-10-29 06:42 am (UTC)(link)
[Felix comes down here mostly to keep an eye on things, though he has entertained ideas of finding something sugary to bring to Ashura as a gift. He walks casually down the midway, gazing into the stalls and contemplating then when London's voice gets his attention. And then he looks up. And UP]

Saints and powers. [He knows this girl, doesn't he?]
therealrisette: (Patented Risette cheerful mode go!)

[personal profile] therealrisette 2014-10-29 07:03 am (UTC)(link)
Really? I wasn't sure it was open...

[She's partially being polite, but he would be correct - there is genuine interest there.]

There's no extra charge or anything, right?

[She knows how showbiz works, hooking people first and then making profits on the interest generated. But this carnival is way out of her experience, so maybe it's different?]
therealrisette: (My hair can generate magical flowers!)

[personal profile] therealrisette 2014-10-29 07:54 am (UTC)(link)
Ohhh, it's cute!

[She means it, too! Of the prizes available, she'd probably have chosen the bear as well.]

How about we try together? Maybe one of us'll win it?

[And if she does, the younger girl could have it. She really just wants to be friendly and help out a little.]

Oh, I'm Rise. What's your name?
aprettyred: (Default)

[personal profile] aprettyred 2014-10-29 08:35 am (UTC)(link)
It is.

[ Although Anna is mostly interested in its bright shade of red.

She tilts her head a little at Rise.
]

Anna.

.... So we just go up?
therealrisette: (Thoughtful and/or plotting)

[personal profile] therealrisette 2014-10-29 03:44 pm (UTC)(link)
I guess!

[There's no one else waiting at the moment, after all. She'll hold out her hand for Anna to take if she wants, but either way, she'll lead the girl up.]

We just have to throw the darts and pop the balloons, right?

[A general question aimed at Anna and the attendant, who explains the game. Of course, the game is set up so you have to throw the weighted darts in an arc to have the best chance at actually popping a balloon, but Rise doesn't know that. (The attendant, however, probably does...)]
yay_heiress: (I Don't Like Where This Is Going...)

[personal profile] yay_heiress 2014-10-29 04:39 pm (UTC)(link)
[Have a blank stare. London does better with small words.]
yay_heiress: (Nuh-uh!)

[personal profile] yay_heiress 2014-10-29 04:44 pm (UTC)(link)
[She gently takes it, paying attention to the unsettling imagery.]

Tonight? Is it... scary?
yay_heiress: (Off The Wall)

[personal profile] yay_heiress 2014-10-29 04:55 pm (UTC)(link)
No. Louboutin.
schrodingersghost: (fenton - hate my life)

[personal profile] schrodingersghost 2014-10-29 09:53 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm Danny Fenton. Who are you?
schrodingersghost: (fenton - you knew all the time)

[personal profile] schrodingersghost 2014-10-29 09:54 pm (UTC)(link)
[He holds out a handful of rings.]

Two caisos for six tries! Land one ring and you're a winner.
aprettyred: (Oh what's that?)

[personal profile] aprettyred 2014-10-29 10:09 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Anna does take her hand, because that is just how people go about in pairs at festivals. Particularly when one is a small girl. If Anna's hand feels a little warm, that's normal.

And a side effect of picking up thoughts, Anna finds out shortly after tossing her first dart.

Its not cheating to use knowledge that was so easily found, right? Particularly when the game itself is cheating against them.

Anna starts trying that arc thing, but she's never played darts before and has a little trouble with it. A couple pop though!
]
fearbringer: (you think you're so much better than us)

[personal profile] fearbringer 2014-10-30 02:11 am (UTC)(link)
If the Castle doesn't remove that particular ability, that is. Do you worry about that?
fearbringer: (this isn't a joint)

[personal profile] fearbringer 2014-10-30 02:20 am (UTC)(link)
[Daytime might be most people's favorite time to visit, but for Pitch, the draw of the night is much greater. There's something creepy about it-- which might be a negative for others, but it's definitely a plus for him.

Rise's unease is palpable, and so he approaches her. He doesn't speak up, at least at first-- instead, he just follows.]
wizard_redfive: (Confused)

[personal profile] wizard_redfive 2014-10-30 03:57 am (UTC)(link)
[She glances over at the pens and then, crossing her arms, leans against them.]

That's another possibility. They might be visitors with their own agenda, like the Fae that had an Autumn Ball before. They've also got one of those aliens that attacked in Terre Haute, or at least something that looks like one.

[She frowns a little remembering the Collectors. The one here definitely felt off... and she was fairly sure it wasn't just because it hadn't attacked.]
therealrisette: (Marukyu Main Stage!!!)

Day

[personal profile] therealrisette 2014-10-30 10:29 pm (UTC)(link)
[A - On the grounds]

[If anyone should run into Rise at the carnival today, they might have a hard time recognizing her. Her trademark twintails are gone, replaced by an elaborate braided updo. Instead of her usual fresh-faced, youthful look, she sports dark lipstick and smoky eyes. Unnaturally long and full eyelashes combined with flawlessly smooth complexion almost makes her look like a doll or mannequin, from the neck up.

During the day, she wanders the carnival wearing a dark outfit that looks opaque from a distance. However, up close, one can see that the various colors and patterns aren't part of the clothes... they're a part of her. From the neck down, every inch of her skin is tattooed in colorful, feminine patterns... mainly floral designs and representations of nymphs, fairies and mermaids. Each and every figure illustrated on her skin is just as scantily clad as she is, under the mesh. Though the skimpy outfit is designed to resemble pretty lingerie, it's fairly modest by comparison. It has to stay on during her performance, after all.

She won't particularly pay attention to any patrons who don't capture her interest, and to do that, they must notice her first. It's what she comes out for... to grace their guests with her presence, and her daytime show.]


[B - Afternoon Show]

[Late in the afternoon, approaching but not quite twilight, a mysterious stage that may not have even been on the grounds before today lights up. Announcers introduce the 'fabulous Risette', to which Rise steps out from behind the curtain, her smile plastic and hard to believe as genuine.

Wordlessly, with her expression shifting between that smile and much more believable sly, seductive looks at her precious audience, she launches into her contortion and dance routine. The mesh suit is discarded as part of the act, leaving her both as nude as she could possibly get without dipping into impropriety, but also covered by the various images drawn into her skin. Immodesty covered by the illusion of modesty.

At the end of her show, as she retreats into the curtains, she gives one last longing, tempting gaze into the gathered audience. Simultaneously begging for their attention and promising more to come. Her evening show in the tent would be even more scandalous and sensational... this was just a tease for the main event. Still, she doesn't like to retreat away from attention, so she'll still wander the grounds until then, the mesh suit she'd stripped out of discarded and forgotten on the stage. Feeling all those eyes on her is what she lives for, after all...]
therealrisette: (Oh no!!!)

[personal profile] therealrisette 2014-10-30 10:58 pm (UTC)(link)
[From where Rise is standing, London's stilt-shoes are a lot closer than her eyes, and the first thing she sees is how the straps are fused into the girl's ankles.]

Huh?! What the-?

[She knows that voice, doesn't she? Glancing up... and up... she gasps when she sees the girl's face.]

London-san?!
lord_wizard: (fire)

[personal profile] lord_wizard 2014-10-31 04:14 am (UTC)(link)
[He remembered the fae, though those had turned out to be fairly innocuous despite half the castle driving itself crazy with paranoia leading up to the event. It had become some of the most fun he'd had at the castle in the entire time he'd been here. And this carnival could be similar, but the the mention of the alien draws him up short]

What?! You're certain? Where did you see it?
lord_wizard: (fire)

[personal profile] lord_wizard 2014-10-31 04:27 am (UTC)(link)
[That word just sounds like gibberish to him]

...what? I mean...wait...I know you. Who did this?

[They look beautiful to her, but Felix most feels kind of ill]
lord_wizard: (serious)

[personal profile] lord_wizard 2014-10-31 04:29 am (UTC)(link)
[Felix rolls his eyes, because he knows that look]

I don't like it because my magic does not work there.

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