The Carnival is Over!

Blind Hemingway

Ancient Iwaku Scum from 2006.
Original poster
MYTHICAL MEMBER
Posting Speed
  1. Slow As Molasses
Online Availability
NEVER
Writing Levels
  1. Adept
  2. Douche
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Primarily Prefer Female
Genres
Surrealism, Surreal Horror (Think Tim Burton), Steampunk, Sci-Fi Fantasy, Spaghetti Westerns, Mercenaries, Dieselpunk, Cyberpunk, Historical fantasies
The Carnival is Over

“I kind of like things slightly out of tune. It makes me feel... intoxicated almost... but in a good way. Like I'm at a carnival in a dream…It’s a world where everything is just so perfectly wrong but you don't question it.”

Theme: The Carnival is Over

In the late 1930s, mankind discovers that parallel universes do in fact exist. Well, at least I did. I never expected that the fabric of reality would send me to a strange world full of twisted smiles and fabulous freaks. I have been sent to the Carnival of the Dead!

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It had happened quickly. I was walking around the busy streets of my home city when I heard this loud cackling laugh. The world around me broke apart like a mirror crumbling into thousands of shards.

I found myself in a damp grey-green colored room. As any curious person would do, I stood up and began to look around. My heart was racing.

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Upon this movement, a jester appeared "Welcome Daughter of Life! I've been expecting you for some time." Then without warning, the jester placed his right hand on my shoulder. “Welcome to my Carnival! Enjoy your time here. You are the guest of honor.”

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House Rules:Please pay attention to any requests or specifics given.

Game Masters: Rory, Iliana, Vay

Characters: Four to five players will be accepted. Only one character per player.

Posting Expectations: At least once a week.

Rating: None, though some parts of the plot will become very strange.

Genre: Magical Realism: It combines fantastic or dreamlike elements with reality. It is the mingling and close placement of the realistic and the fantastic, bizarre and skillful time shifts, miscellaneous use of dreams, myths and fairy stories, expressionistic and even surrealistic description, the elements of surprise or abrupt shock, the horrific and the inexplicable.

Atmosphere/Mood: Serious, dramatic, horror, dream-like.

Timeline: Unknown, it seems like this land is one full of paradoxes. Advanced machines exist, but there's no signs of airplanes or automobiles.

Story Set-Up: The story will be told in an episodic format (chapters). Each chapter will last roughly 15-35 posts depending on the scenes.

Basic Plot:You choose the role of one of the four or five possible characters. You'll determine the character's destinies as the plot advances. Members of the Carnival of the Dead will either try to help or prevent Vikki Baez from being able to return to the world that she belongs...

The Carnival:[/url]The show is set up to show off the talents of the carnies. Whether it is singing, Burlesque, stunts, amazing feats, animal tamers, etc. Currently the show is run by the Jester, who has hired a new ringmaster. He says that the new boss will be master will be in at any moment, so keep an eye open for this mysterious figure.

Character Types: You get to play as Circus Freaks! While one does not to be have physical disabilities, there should be something odd or not quite right about them. Other potential roles include heavily tattooed or pierced people attention-getting physical performers such as fire-eating and sword-swallowing acts, strong men, bearded lady, etc. Just think of the attractions that bring you into a circus.

Questions: Ask my maid! In reality, please PM me or ask them in this thread.

CHARACTER PROFILE

Character Name:

Gender:

Job/Role:

Age:

General Appearance: (Photos OK, but feel free to add more details about their looks)

General Personality:

General History: How where you discovered by the circus? Where you from? What was your family like? Do you enjoy being a part of the show?

Powers/Skills: Each character has a power that makes them stand out from the general population. Please be original. No two characters may share the same powers or skills.
 
Character Name: Riley O'Leary


Gender: Male


Job/Role: Animal Tamer


Age: 19


General Appearance: Riley's most noticeable trait, right off the bat is his fire-engine red hair. Kept at medium length, Riley tries his best to keep it neat, but being so fine and silky, the slightest wind will make it whip around, resembling a dancing flame. Azure blue eyes and deep dimples complete his boyish charms. He is average height, and surprisingly muscular for his otherwise slender appearance. Always well dressed, but is mainly seen in one of his flashy Animal Tamer uniforms. One could say that his talent brings them in, but his looks keep them coming.


General Personality: Known best for his smooth talking, Riley has learned to gain the affections of not only animals, but people as well. Young or old, man or woman, Riley is one of the more popular acts to grace the stage. Of course, the actual reason why he has so many admirers depends on the people in the crowd.

It's quite hard to read what Riley is thinking, for he always has the same, charming smile spread across his face. He is very calm, and it takes a lot of effort stir him up. No one has ever actually seen Riley get angry since he arrived at the Carnival. But then again, no one wants to find out.

He is openly (but not genuinely) friendly to all that cross him, especially if what crossed him happened to be an attractive female. But those that know him on a more personal level know that he is never afraid to show his true colors and throw out a smart or sarcastic comment to those who rub him the wrong way. Yet no one has managed to get close enough to him to actually understand what he's thinking or feeling. The only "friends" he opens up to are the beastly kind, with his closest comrade being "Fang, the Man-Eating Lion".


General History: Riley was known for being a rambunctious little tyke back in his original dimension. He failed to get his family's attention by normal means, so he'd force their attention by playing tricks and trouble making. This eventually became his method of choice when getting anyone's attention, which is what made him unpopular in school as well. Through these series of unfortunate events, he discovered his gift of speech when the neighbor's old Collie, Angus, came to console him. His gift became a curse when he became his school's outcast, after being seen chatting with the birds, or whispering to butterflies. Having had enough, Riley decided to run as far away as he possibly could. However, it wasn't long before he took one turn too many, when he stumbled across the Carnival. It was something he had never seen, but that didn't stop the chills from going down his spine. It was here he was offered a job as an animal trainer's assistant, but seeing how he managed to make a crowd when playing tic-tac-toe with a monkey or wrestling with a Grizzly Bear that he became an attraction all on his own. He has been a part of the Carnival ever since.


Powers/Skills: Riley has the ability to talk to animals. He can hear them and respond to them as if they were any other intelligent being. You'll often find him conversing with his favorite animal pals; that is, when he isn't already flirting with a pretty lady. In addition, he can also "charm" animals into doing his bidding. But heaven knows he doesn't have the heart to do that.
 
Character Name: Dahlia Patrice

Gender: Female

Job/Role: Comedic Relief Routine and/or Intermissions

Age:
No one knows her exact age, but it is believed Dahlia is much, much, older than she appears.

General Appearance:

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Very short, at about three-foot four. Dahlia's head is unusually large for her stubby body. Her face is doll-like. With huge, dark brown eyes, and only a little nose and pair of lips, she is often seen as adorable despite her cumbersome deformity. Her voice is often cutesy, but also has a habit of slipping into a much more matured, demanding tone that only an older woman could posses. To play-off her doll like appearance, Dahlia often wears fancy dresses or cutesy accessories. She is creative with her attire which is custom made to fit her unusually tiny body. An assortment of wigs are always at her disposal, and no one knows what her actual hair looks like.

General Personality:
A trickster at heart, Dahlia loves to play pranks on everyone. It's all in good fun. She loves the sound of laughter. When people are at their worst; their angriest, their saddest, their bitterest; she takes their misery to a new level before exposing them to a happiness they never knew they had. But all is not always well intentioned within her. Laughter is a barrier, a shell worn to protect the sensitive inner self even when it heals the soul. Inside the visage of a little girl is an adult that has never come to accept themselves, and feels no one else ever will.

It is a sentiment surely shared by many of her fellow freaks, but Dahlia has always been able to pretend to be a child, pretend to be normal. She is aware that when the visage of her youth is realize that the adult in her will be scrutinized. Although desperately wanting to be accepted as an adult, she can never act like the mature person she is for fear of what will happen to her, her career, and her happiness. So when people press Dahlia on her age, or patronize her child-like behaviour she becomes slightly vindictive and may play pranks more maliciously, or simply to amuse herself. The games she plays helps her deal with the way she was made: as an intelligent adult trapped inside a small child's body.

General History:

A little girl
who'll never age
trapped inside,
a youthful cage.
Her body small,
but head so big
when no one listened
her mind,
it snapped,
just like a twig.
Ignored,
they'd sent her,
undertow
they'd thought her lost
far below
but soon enough,
yet long ago,
she lived,
she rose,
to her new home.
There they listened,
there she'd played,
pretend and show off
each and every day
until again,
she'd find the dark,
and hide below,
far beneath
undertow



Powers/Skills:
Object Pulling/Pushing:
Where did my wallet go? Well, if you're asking yourself that question you may have just been the victim of object pulling. Dahlia has the ability to pull objects from one space into another space adjacent to herself. The effect makes it look like she pulled something out of thin air. It doesn't matter the size of the object, or the weight. But the area it has been pulled into must be large enough to accommodate the object's size. What's that? You want your wallet back? No problem! Dahlia can also return objects, although they don't necessarily always end up where they started. The little scamp is able to take an object which is close to her, again, of any size or weight, and move it to any unoccupied space that would accommodate it. Unfortunately she decided it be fun to put your wallet up where the trapeze artists do their work. So, good luck with that.

Out of Nowhere:
Where did that little brat go! I want my wallet back dammit! Well, unfortunately for you she could be anywhere. A little bit creepy, but it's true. The girl disappears and reappears like she were some sort of demented whack-a-mole that escaped the machine. You could swear Dahlia was there just a second ago, but she just vanished. Have you looked behind you. Ah, yes, there she is. But what's that she's wearing? A completely different outfit and a new wig? How interesting. She does that often when she disappears and re-appears. It confuses people sometimes, but no one else is as small and doll-like as she so it's hard to mistake whose underneath all that makeup. Good luck catching her though. It appear she's gone again.
 
CHARACTER PROFILE

Character Name: Tosha Dubrunski

Gender: Female

Job/Role: Fire acrobatics, fire juggling gypsy.

Age: 23

General Appearance: 789022-bigthumbnail.jpg Tosha can usually be seen wearing japanese kimono dresses. A demon mask usually graces her face with gold spikes on top and bottom. Bronze belled claws ring with her performances. Her short brown hair is usually burned at the tips, from her constant shows. After awhile if finally stayed in that one style, started lacking the ability to grow. A large burn scar goes over her left eye from the tip of her forehead to the line of her jaw. The mask usually covers half of it, but she doesn't mind if people stare. Large honey colored eyes grace her face with thick full lashes.

General Personality: Out going and very talkative. Though can be very mysterious at times. If asked a question she usually doesn't give a straight answer, instead she asks a question back. Tosha can usually seen smiling, and laughing. However, if she gets angry she has a very big temper. Though it usually takes awhile for that part of her nature to be revealed.

General History:

Powers/Skills: Tosha is a fire starter, she has the ability to make flames consume her palms. Usually you will see her flinging balls of fire into the air. Juggling them while doing very odd flexibility stunts. Tosha stood on one foot, her back arched. The other leg stretched towards the dark turbulent sky. Her toes pointed, as fire consumed her clawed hands. Each wrist flicked and the balls flew into the air. The sounds of bells rang out into a echo, the balls fell back towards her. Behind her demonic mask her honey gaze grew wide, spinning quickly into a crouch as another fire ball appeared into her right palm. Flinging that one into the air the others landed in each palm. Crushing the balls, sparks flew around her. They sparkled against her gold embroidered fabric. Standing quickly before the other could fall back she began to dance. Her hips swaying in small circles, Tosha's stomach muscles rolled and rippled. The ball feel on to her out stretched hand, rolling down her arm across her shoulders. Leaving a trail of fire as she twirled with the beat of the ringing bells.
 
Character Name: Vikki Baez

Gender: Female

Job/Role: The level headed chick in a strange world.

Age: 17

General Appearance:
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Vikki was brought to the Carnival in her school uniform since she hadn’t gone home to change. This uniform consists of a sweater, a red ribbon tie, and a skirt. She has black hair and dark brown eyes. Her hair is kept at shoulder length. Vikki wears glasses because she is near-sighted. Never attempt to remove these from her, she hates it when people attempt to do that to her.

In her book bag, she also has a long olive drab flannel shirt that probably belonged to her father while he was on active duty in the Spanish military before the Civil War.

General Personality: A plucky girl. If life throws hardships at Vikki, she’ll keep on smiling even though she knows things aren’t going her way.

She has great charm, allure, and inner strength, and is able to overcome most any obstacle in life. She comes across as self-confident and self-possessed and others are drawn to her for that reason. There is a mysterious quality about this girl, because she is intensely private, discrete and secretive. Soon Vikki will learn everything about you, but later you will realize that she hasn't given you many details about herself--that's her natural reticence. Determination and will power are her basic personality traits. She can use them anytime to come out of anything that is negative.

Vikki tries to explain everything as rationally as possible in her mind, though she often times gives up and just goes with the flow of life. This is because Vikki is naturally curious, Vikki loves to learn everything she possibly can about, well everything. She has an active imagination and likes to take risks. Vikki is not afraid to get dirty either.

Vikki has a sense of fairness and justice. The same goes for generosity also. If you do one kind deed for her, she will do four in return.

She is passionate with everything that is related to her. It is almost impossible for her to have neutral feelings. Either she will deeply cherish or fiercely hate. If any of the feelings are not experienced, she will become completely indifferent towards it. However, she never lets these feelings show. Her expression will always remain neutral, betraying nothing. Her anger is very bad and it's better to get out of her way when it gets out of hand. She can become a hard-hearted sarcastic person when angered.

She seems to be very practical, but inside she is very emotional.

General History: Vikki lives in Boise, Idaho with her father and grandfather. They recently escaped from the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), since her family had funds to do so. Her father teaches at the local university. Vikki’s mother divorced her father several years ago. Vikki has had no contact with her since 1933. It should be noted she’s never gotten along with her mother. Her elder sister is currently living in Paris, having left Spain several months before her father and sister. Vikki has always wanted to travel to France and it is more than certain that she is jealous. She currently attends high school. Her family is from a Spanish background (Basque) and has close connections with the Basque speaking parts of the city.

Powers/Skills: Vikki has no powers. However, she seems to have a natural gift of being able to see through people’s lies and personality masks. Knowledge and instinct, occult talents and psychological ability appear within her, because her character tends to dwell on the inner demons that the average person chooses to ignore.
 
Character Name: Ezra

Gender: Female

Job/Role: Temporary Ring Master/Tale Spinner

Age: 16

General Appearance:


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Ezra stands at around 5'3 with light caramel skin and dark auburn eyes. She is skinnier than the normal human, but not due to anorexia. She can easily fit into tight places and maintains a stable balance, making her job as Ring Master easy. She has blonde hair that is tinted with hot pink. Her clothes are always live and bubbly and she wears high shoes to make her seem taller than she actually is.​

General Personality: Her attitude onstage is spontaneous. With a help of a mic, Ezra's voice is loud booming and peppy. Her word are coated with so much emphasis, every syllable tinted with emotion. Away from the stage, Ezra's personalty is an essence of deep, foreboding darkness. Despite her girly and bright looks, Ezra spins the most dangerous tales of despair, agony, and chaos. High pessimistic and not easily swayed by words or emotions. To her, if it doesn't end in death, they're not doing it right.


General History: Ezra's discovery was actually a kidnapping. Ezra escaped from the chores her parents threw at her by slipping out of a window that was barely open. She ran to the park, hoping to kill time there, when she was snatched up by unknown people. Ezra, with her head covered in a bag, wove tails and consequences of the future of the kidnappers if they did not realize her. They did: in the circus. At first, Ezra spoke doom upon the circus but seeing as though she fit the criteria of being a 'freak' Ezra decided to stay and entertain the masses. To her, they were going to die anyway. Why not let them go out with a bang?


Powers/Skills: Ezra has the ability to see in the dark. Her eyes glow fluorescent like, much like a cat, and that glow allows things in the dark to become clear. She uses this gift to her advantage, shutting the stage lights off and muttering into the mic about what spectater is doing at the moment. To them it's all for the show and entertainment. Little do they know.

 
Character Name: The Jester

Gender: Male

Job/Role: Troublemaker/ physical personification of the carnival itself!?

Age: Who knows, hes certainly been around a while, perhaps even before the carnival came into being.

General Appearance:

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General Personality: Chaos incarnate, he does what he does on and whim and for his own amusement. Unbound by the social norms of even the carnival and without explaining his reasoning. He has however taken several steps in order to keep the carnival running as if it failing would be too far even for him or maybe he just doesn't want to lose his primary source of entertainment.

General History: For this story would would need to pin a strait answer from the jester which I like nailing water to a wall. He has been in the carnival longer than anyone remembers. Weather he started the carnival or it it birthed him is anyone's guess. As far as he goes, hes more concerned with what is to come that what has been and even more so in what is.

Powers/Skills: Its a well known fact that the jester can and does appear wherever and whenever he wants to, weather he simply happens to be walking, moves fast or travels by some other means is a mystery. His stepping out of the shadows or entering a tent when its convenient to hm is a well known and often expected trait of his.

He possessed a wide range of skills and attributes. Jester was a musician and acrobat who performed pratfalls, physical comedy, classic juggling, fire eating, swallowing swords, strumming on the lute, stilt walking and various magical illusions. He was also an exceptionally articulate raconteur and can recite a wide variety of topical rhymes and riddles. It is Jester's madness or imbecility (real or pretended), that gives him a license to abuse and insult.
 
Looks good. We have ourselves a shady bunch of characters....Perfect my pretties. Thanks for joining up. If you have any questions feel free to PM me or Vay.
 
Character Name: John 'Johnny-boy' Massarone.

Gender:
Male

Job/Role: The Human Cannon ball

Age: 25

General Appearance:

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General Personality: A fearless adrenalin junkie pretty much sums it up, as he taunts death at every turn in an effort to obtain 'the ultimate high'. Seemingly careless, unwittingly brave, hopelessly daring and perpetually putting himself in danger for the sheer thrill. When not shoving his body into a cannon, he can be found playing Russian roulette with 5 bullets; Risk taker to the extreme.

General History: Born to the rich commissioner of a decent sized seaside town he was promptly ignored by his parents, and left under the constant care of maids and servants. As a child, Johnny suffered from a severe case of small pox. He was unable to do much of anything besides lay in bed and look out the third story window for two months. He would day dream of flying out the window and sailing over the sea, and at the early age of 9 his purpose in life was discovered: To fly without the aid of wings. He accomplished this goal at the age of 13, off a small cliff, assisted by two older friends. Resulting in another six months bed ridden. However, this set back did not at all discourage Johnny. By 18, after reading about men who shot themselves from cannons for the circus, he knew exactly what he was going to do for the rest of his life.

Powers/Skills: Can mend bone and heal tissue at a quickened rate.
 
The RP shall start tomorrow~
 
IC IS UP IN THE FANTASY SECTION.

I ask however that everyone hold off posting until she 'aint in idiaho no more. Once shes in the dark carnival (not the real world one) everyone will be free to start.
 
Now you can post. There's part of show going on. Maybe react to the fact that there's a non-actor on the main stage!
 
In terms of historical context of the intro post, the RP in our world is set in the late 1930s. I'll be giving some insights into Vikki's personality using some historical context here and there. It's not as important to the characters in the Carnival world, since the 'other side' doesn't necessarily follow our world point for point. It's mostly an attempt to give the setting a believable feeling.