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.)).
freeslider: (surprise)

[personal profile] freeslider 2014-10-31 04:56 am (UTC)(link)
[Wade is bit full of candy after three days of the carnival, but she still comes down to see the sights, including the performers and maybe to ride a ride or two. She's been hoping the merry-go-round would be fixed by now, and she's just gone to see if it has, and is turning back to the midway with some disappointment when Rise catches her eyes.

Wade's jaw drops and she runs over to intercept the girl
]

Um. Wow. Rise. You look...different.

[Worryingly so]
therealrisette: (Awww you're so adorable!)

[personal profile] therealrisette 2014-10-31 05:08 am (UTC)(link)
[What a strange thing to say... but she doesn't think much of it. Instead, her eyes light up a little at his suggestion.]

An assistant? For the show?

[She couldn't possibly! But it was nice to be noticed... just like being scouted for jobs back home.

Actually, she did miss it... maybe it wouldn't hurt to hear what he's actually suggesting?]


It's nothing complicated, is it?

[She's still wary, but curious...]
therealrisette: (Such a tease)

[personal profile] therealrisette 2014-10-31 05:20 am (UTC)(link)
[Hearing her name, Rise turns, head tilted and eyes narrowed in curiosity. It goes on just a bit too long, as if she's looking at a total stranger. Her eyes wander down, taking in the sight of Wade from head to toe. And then she snaps her gaze back up to the other woman's eyes, her lips curling into a pleasant, playful smile.

Taking a step towards Wade, she dips her head, spreads out her arms a little and twirls to show off her new look. The tattoos seen through her mesh outfit really do cover every visible inch of her body, back and front. Facing Wade again, she lifts her eyes, questioningly. Still smiling. It's not verbal, but there's a clear message: Do you like what you see?

She's a living work of art in so many ways, isn't she? She hopes Wade can appreciate that. If so, she'd be perfectly willing to grace her with her company for a while.]
wizard_redfive: (Neutral)

[personal profile] wizard_redfive 2014-10-31 05:47 am (UTC)(link)
I'm not going to forget what those creatures looked like for a while, believe me.

[She had a history with bug-like aliens. Dairine glances from side to side, as though checking to make sure no one else was listening before leaning closer to Felix. She lowers her voice.]

If you stay here after dark, this group offers an extra attraction in the tent back there. A freak show. [Her nose wrinkles in revolution. "Freak" wasn't a label wizards liked very much.] I wouldn't really recommend it, but the alien was there.
schrodingersghost: (fenton - through the window)

Re: Day

[personal profile] schrodingersghost 2014-10-31 03:50 pm (UTC)(link)
[The man grins and holds out a handful of rings. ]

Two caisos for a handful of chances! Give it a try.
schrodingersghost: (Default)

[personal profile] schrodingersghost 2014-10-31 03:53 pm (UTC)(link)
[Danny eyes the guy skeptically, but ends up taking his hand. Okay, so the guy was super creepy. But just because this whole situation reminded him way too much of the mess with Freakshow and Circus Gothika was no reason to assume that this circus was evil too. Right? ]

Well, that name isn't creepy at all.
schrodingersghost: (fenton - through the window)

[personal profile] schrodingersghost 2014-10-31 04:03 pm (UTC)(link)
But we're not in the castle right now.
lightbranded: (Shall the Youngest Open the Oldest Hills)

[personal profile] lightbranded 2014-11-01 01:06 am (UTC)(link)
[He shakes his head.]

Really, its understandable. I'm not the tallest of kids, and it is very crowded here.
originalcopy: (pic#6367718)

A

[personal profile] originalcopy 2014-11-01 01:31 am (UTC)(link)
[Church is wandering the carnival. It's not as fun when you can't be distracted by the food and drink and you're all alone. Everything just seems a bit... off.

Maybe it's just his imagination. Or maybe it's well earned paranoia from being here so long. Either way, as he's looking around he isn't exactly expecting to see Rise in the crowd looking... well, so uh, yeah. Like she does.]


Rise?
inlifesname: (eyeroll)

[personal profile] inlifesname 2014-11-01 03:10 am (UTC)(link)
[Nita had similar thoughts. Of course. And she's not terribly surprised to find the other two there either.]

And he's not the only one, apparently.
inlifesname: (Read the fine print before you sign)

[personal profile] inlifesname 2014-11-01 03:19 am (UTC)(link)
Not very talkative, are they? [The young wizard next to him frowns.] I mean, most Life isn't here, but this is worse than usual.
radiantwingedone: (Focus)

[personal profile] radiantwingedone 2014-11-01 03:33 am (UTC)(link)
They're.. all, far less than anything else. [ Duke is still intently studying the nearest creature. ]

... Do you think anyone would notice if I just took one out of the carnival?
inafadingcrown: (Warm as sunlight)

[personal profile] inafadingcrown 2014-11-01 03:51 am (UTC)(link)
Will.

[Galadriel has even less experience with carnivals than Will. And she has to admit that there's a certain charm about the whole thing. But her motivations for coming have less to do with wanting to enjoy herself and more to do with two years worth of suspicion of castle-events.

Nevertheless, she's smiling as she falls into step beside him.]
inafadingcrown: (He has fallen into shadow)

Night

[personal profile] inafadingcrown 2014-11-01 04:15 am (UTC)(link)
[A sideshow is not ordinarily the sort of place that you would find a Lady of Galadriel's stature. Ordinarily, she'd find it rather beneath her. But there were certain attractions in this particular show that provided sufficient motivation for her to make an exception.

While Galadriel certainly remembers those insect-like humanoids and spares the weight lifting individual more than one glance, it's the elven featured face that truly draws her attention. She finds herself staring in a mix of horror and pity, wondering if any attempt at communication would be futile.]
inafadingcrown: (cool regard)

[personal profile] inafadingcrown 2014-11-01 04:27 am (UTC)(link)
Another mystery to add to the list. [Galadriel stands nearby, her eyes flicking over the animals in the zoo with the same sort of semi-perturbed recognition.]
freeslider: (windswept)

[personal profile] freeslider 2014-11-01 06:29 pm (UTC)(link)
[From a distance she'd thought it might just be paint. But close up...she's not so sure anymore. A chill shoots down her spine.]

They're very pretty but...when did this happen?
freeslider: (not bad at all)

[personal profile] freeslider 2014-11-01 06:31 pm (UTC)(link)
It is. It's nice to see people coming out to have some fun for a change.

[She glances down at the bag in her hands]

Want some popcorn?
lord_wizard: (profile)

[personal profile] lord_wizard 2014-11-01 06:56 pm (UTC)(link)
[Felix nearly snorts. It's a long list by now.]

One that reminds me there are others we have yet to answer. You realize it's been more than a year since we went out to the Dead Zone? We have no idea what else might be wandering about out there.
lord_wizard: (serious)

[personal profile] lord_wizard 2014-11-01 06:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Neither am I. [Those things were rather intent on tearing himself and his brother to pieces. He remembers]

What was it doing? Do they have it in a cage?
yay_heiress: (As Caring As Can Get)

[personal profile] yay_heiress 2014-11-01 10:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Steve Madden?

[It'll be difficult to get a response out of her that doesn't involve shoes.]
yay_heiress: (Sexy London)

[personal profile] yay_heiress 2014-11-01 10:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Rise.

[There's a dead enthusiasm in her voice, as if she's not speaking of her own will]

Do you like my new designer shoes?
yay_heiress: (Ooh! Guess What!)

[personal profile] yay_heiress 2014-11-01 11:00 pm (UTC)(link)
[She digs into the small crossbody purse she'd brought along and produces the currency, giving him double for twice the tries.]

Ooh! I want two times as many tries!

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