Event - Circus, Circus

[apocalypsehowmods]

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Circus, Circus

➥ By the Pricking of My Thumb

(cw: wax, potential compulsion and fighting)

The train pulls into the railyard at noon under a bright blue sky. The engine is a bright red with orange and yellow flames painted along the sides. The first carriage after that is pitch black with similar flames and a logo for the Fenix Down Extravaganza. It's a stylized red phoenix head in a circle of orange and yellow, the name of the circus painted across the top and bottom, mirroring the curve of the circle. A line of carriages stretch out after that, painted all different colors, but each maintaining the motif of flames down the sides and each bearing the company logo.

Excitement comes to the railyard. The circus is in town for a one-week stint before they continue their journey north. People in colorful costumes--clowns, 'fire fairies' covered in drips of candle wax, and those in animal masks--paper the town with advertisements. You might even find yourself conscripted to help with putting up the fliers and posters if you look idle. A stack of posters is placed in your hands. A $100 bill set atop seems to be your incentives to do something more than just toss them in the bin. There's a frantic energy both about the performers and the people in town. You might even find yourself strangely caught up in it. You want to help spread the word, to ensure the posters reach every part of town. Everyone else who's been conscripted, as well? You can do it better, faster. You need to be faster. You need to claim the space for your own before it's lost to someone else.

There hasn't been a circus come to Gloucester in decades, and it's the Fenix Down Extravaganza! They're renowned for their pyrotechnics and laser lights shows. Surely the enthusiasm for all that is just… catching.

The tents and booths are set up in vacant fields to the west of town, and there's one curious addition, as well. There's a railroad car that's been seemingly pulled away from the railyard somehow. No one sees it being moved, but it's out in the vacant field, and some might recognize it as the old, dilapidated thing that had been hidden in the railyard, the charred husk filled with old posters. It looms, in the field, almost seeming to smoke where it sits. It's quickly cleaned and restored over the course of the day the circus is setting up, though, and it seems to have been turned into the ticket booth for the front of the circus, complete with a new bright red paint job.

➥ Something Wicked This Way Comes

(cw: large-scale vehicular collision, industrial disaster, fire, harm to animals)

It's not a single person who can claim credit for the find, but many people all together. Hours have been poured into researching the mysterious midnight train crash that had rocked people from their beds almost a week ago. Finally, something is found. Stitched together from local newspaper clippings from around Cape Ann, a story emerges, identifying a derailment in the city of Gloucester back in 1921. More than a dozen workers had died in the railyard and there were fires beyond that in the town. The train itself had had only a few people aboard, performers for the Smoke and Mirrors Acting Troupe, along with animals used in their performances. The stories seem to be tucked away a few pages from the front of the newspapers, which are dominated by stories about skyrocketing unemployment following the Great War and the return home for the troops.

All of the stories seem to end with the same sentiment: It could have been so much worse. If the train had derailed further north in one of the more populated cities, where it had been scheduled to arrive the next morning after the crash? It could have been hundreds, maybe even thousands dead.

The information, whomever has found it, is enough. ADI calls a staff meeting. Ghostly circus train derailments just before another circus rolls into town? That's not a coincidence. Everyone who's willing is purchased a ticket for entrance to the Fenix Down Extravaganza, and every person is assigned a partner to join them. Don't lose track. There will be no kidnappings this time. ADI is determined to keep their people as safe as they can be while investigating. Maybe have a chat with your new companion(s).

Those who misbehaved during the last event's Sticky Wicket prompt and were caught with either an opened box or found to have injuries related to the artifacts inside the boxes will be assigned an additional person to their group. A mentor to keep them on the right track this time. And also to narc on them if they mess up again. Better behave, partner.

➥ Send In the Clowns

(cw: reference to cannibalism, fire, pain, mild body horror)

There's a light and excited atmosphere about the circus once a body makes it through the long queue out front. The sweet and sticky scent of fried and sugary foods permeates the air along with barbecues and the ever-present smell of ash. Fire would seem to be the main attraction for the Fenix Down Extravaganza. Fire dancers, fire jugglers, people swallowing fiery swords, and walking over beds of hot coals. There are sideshow attractions and games to see before heading into the big top. Notably, there are no animals or signs of animals at the circus save for a small contingent of goats that are set up as a petting zoo, and a sideshow with a reptile exhibit along with a 'snakeman.' Otherwise known as a performer decorated with shiny sticker scales who provides interesting 'snake facts' to anyone who happens by.

The Food
The food is typical carnival garbage. A little overpriced, but still decent and provided in excess of what people should reasonably eat in one sitting, especially for things like the cotton candy and funnel cake. There is some decent grilled food available, and those who go snooping will find that the food prep within each of the little booths is acceptable for what it all seems to be. There is one booth characters might notice that has 'long-pig' on the menu. Or does it? Check again, and it's not there. It seems to be selling hotdogs, though. Just ordinary hotdogs. Care to bite into one?

The Games
Your standard rigged carnival games: the ring toss, the ladder climb, the baseball and milk jugs. Spend more money for bigger prizes! But you're risking losing it all, as well. There are a few unique games, as well, though. One is called 'The Floor Is Lava,' and participants must make their way around a strange obstacle course that's up on balance beams. If you slip and go down, it's just grass of course. But for a moment, for a split second, you can feel the heat and agony as the lava engulfs your body. You're fine, though, of course! It's just a game, after all. Even if you might feel a bit… singed after that. Another game someone might find tucked away in an obscure corner is 'Liar, Liar,' which involves throwing beanbags at targets. Each target lights a match that helps to burn a string leading toward a cartoonish figure in polka dot boxers. The goal is to get the fire to touch the boxers before a timer runs out. When the fire hits the boxers, there's an uncomfortably realistic shriek. But it's probably fine.

The Sideshows and Exhibits
Fire is the overriding theme at the side shows with fire dancers and jugglers being the most prominent amongst the tents. Attendants for the tents all wear full (and varied) animal heads obscuring their faces; though, if someone is rude enough to rip off their masks, they'll just find disgruntled employees who would like that back now. The more notable sideshow acts include:

• The Twisted Twisters - A pair of contortionists who maneuver bowls filled with flames while they shift around. They're very affable, joking with each other as they work.
  
• Flammie the Magnificent - A magician who's open about his use of smoke and mirrors, as well as making objects appear in a burst of flame. He's a purposefully goofy magician aimed at younger kids.
  
• Asbestos Mike - A man who juggles burning coals. His hands are… unfortunate to look at. But he doesn't seem to mind and claims to have no working nerve endings. He's extremely calm about… everything.

➥ Lost & Found

(cw: child endangerment/distressed parent with missing child, disorientation, hallucination)

And then, of course, there are the 'experiences.' They're not rides per se. Those are hard to pack up on a train, but they're exhibits to pass through with a particular theme toward interaction or ogling. There's a small wax museum with decently-crafted models of a few famous individuals. And then there's the Fun House. It's a mirror maze inside that seems to stretch on far larger than the small space it's set up in should allow. For those who make it to the center of the maze, they'll find a dark room with a single mirror in it. This, unlike the rest of the mirrors in the Fun House, isn't one that distorts your form. It's simply a standard mirror. There's also a corridor of mirror beyond it that leads to a quick escape from the Fun House for those lucky winners who make it there.

Said 'winners' will find that everything seems to be perfectly normal when they step out onto the bustling circus grounds. But is that- Ah, that's someone they wanted to talk to. Or maybe it's someone who looks suspicious. Just someone they want to follow. There is a figure and it's someone they want to follow. If they do so, they'll quickly lose said figure in the crowd, only to spot them a ways on a few moments later. Pursuing this figure will result in the winner being run around the circus grounds, never quite able to catch up. If they stop their pursuit, they will find themselves somewhere that they have not seen before. There may be a sense of disorientation as they try to get their bearings.

For those who don't enter the Fun House or come out as winners, they might notice someone--a parent--frantically looking about some other time. The parent comes up to them, asks if they've seen their child, before hurrying off to try to find an employee for help. Their little one was just there. They just came out of the Fun House and now… now they can't find their child! Employees will be only too happy to help, but non-employees might be quicker on the draw to locate the missing child. They're always found in a random place, seemingly unharmed but confused and frightened as they search for their parent, claiming they saw said parent going just over there, or over here. Still, you've reunited a family! No harm, no foul, right? Kids go wandering all the time. Parents really ought to keep a closer watch.

➥ The Ringmaster

(cw: fire, pain, immolation, screaming)

"Please be advised the following show contains flashing lights, sudden loud noises, and fire. Anyone who may have difficulty with these, please make your way to the exit. Our employees will provide refunds for anyone who may have challenges due to these effects." A full two minutes pass to allow those who need to leave time to do so. And then…

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and everyone in between, put your hands together for the one, the only, Fenix Down!" The words sound over the PA system in the tent just before roaring calliope music picks up and the man himself practically dances to the center of the ring in the main tent. Fenix is a remarkably short Caucasian man with dark hair, brown eyes, and a suit that looks like it's on fire, all orange, red, and yellow licks of color across the fabric. His bright yellow tophat features the company's phoenix logo on it, and he nearly loses the thing as he dashes around the ring, grinning like a madman and eliciting cheers from the audience as he raises his arms for them to shout.

"Are you ready, my friends, for the brightest, the grandest, the most extravagant show you have ever seen?" Thunderous cheers from the audience. "I am Fenix Down, and this is my extravaganza!"

The show plays out with two main acts with smaller ones in between. The main acts are introduced by Fenix in turn:

• "Penny, the dancing flame!" is firedancer with an elaborate show involving a flaming whip and multiple other performers in horse heads acting as her 'animal companions' for the show.
  
• "And Roderick, the man with laser hands!" is a young man in large, dark glasses who conducts a laser lights and pyrotechnics production from a DJ-style turntable as rock music plays and performers dance and tumble around the ring.

On the final night, there is a change to the performance, though. "And now, my friends, my dear friends, we have a special treat, a new main act to premier: Pyre, the burning man!" Those who are witness to this will see a young man enter the ring. He's sweating and a bit on the heavy side. He also looks… frightened. Frightened and exhilarated. He waves to the crowd as a circle of pipes is raised from a stage in the center of the ring. Pyre sets himself in the middle and lifts his hand. Liquid sprays from the pipes and for those who are close enough, they will likely recognize the scent of gasoline.

"I will be reborn and rise as the phoenix!" Pyre declares before striking a match. His whole body catches immediately in flames and there are horrified gasps and screams from the crowd. Those who might try to interfere are asked to hold on, hold on, just wait by employees. There's nothing to do for young Pyre, anyway. The flames burn rapidly until he collapses on the stage. Fenix makes the first subtle movement he has ever made for anyone who has watched his other performances. A small snap of his fingers, half-covered by one hand. The fire snuffs itself out immediately.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, I know that seems frightening, but just watch," Fenix calls. "Like a phoenix, we rise!" As he says this, Pyre picks himself up. His clothes hang in a charred mess about his form, but his flesh… it seems to have knit itself back together. He is whole, and proceeds to give the audience a double-thumbs up. Relieved guests erupt in applause for this… very strange and rather harrowing final act.

After each performance for the night, the main acts and Fenix are available to take photos, sign autographs, and generally schmooze with the public for a little while. They each have a small tent so that you can have a moment of privacy with your favorite act, if you'd like. If anyone is looking for answers, particularly, these are the top of the hierarchy and might prove the most fruitful to speak to. They're also the only people in the circus that seem to have supernatural energy about them, for those who might have such senses to notice that.

➥ Mod Notes

• GENERAL - Players are welcome to play NPCs for themselves when they are needed in a thread. If you need more information on general behavior for these types of NPCs, please feel free to ask! In general, the information provided in the prompt should be sufficient and you're welcome to make up any details beyond that for your specific scene. For this event, the only NPCs that should not be controlled by players for threading are: Fenix Down and the Main Acts in The Ringmaster prompt. These NPCs will be played by mods and available for interaction.
  
  
• BY THE PRICKING OF MY THUMB (25-26 August) - Characters may accept fliers to put up a maximum of three times (that's $300). Not everyone will feel the compulsion to put up the fliers, but if you need incentive for your character to take action, they can do so. The fliers are ordinary adverts with dates, hours, location, and pricing for the circus. Characters can wander around some of the set-up for the circus, but they'll be shooed away if they linger too long with a request to leave for their safety. Circus personnel doing the set-up are not interested in talking. They'll ignore characters or threaten to call the police for harassment if characters persist in bothering them while they're trying to set things up. Those who attempt to mind-control the workers or otherwise compel them for information will quickly discover that these are genuinely just ordinary people who are doing all the set-up. And they would really like to do their job because they do not have enough time.
  
  
• SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES (25-27 August) - Players are free to OOCly select their ADI-assigned partner. Those who misbehaved during the Sticky Wicket prompt (and there was evidence of that misbehavior) will find themselves saddled with a mentor, either as their partner or in addition to their partner. This mentor (if they're a PC) should be someone who DID behave in that prompt or who has not made themselves a problem for ADI up to this point. Partners are not required to stick together or with their mentors for the duration of the event. This is just an opportunity to get some new CR (or strengthen existing CR)! And maybe butt heads while you slip away from each other while investigating. Mentors will be expected to be somewhat responsible for their charges, though, if you would like to play with that dynamic.
  
  
• SEND IN THE CLOWNS (26 August - 2 September) - Regular employees and sideshow acts have no particular information to provide about anything sinister going on at the circus. As far as they know, the work is grueling sometimes given the quick set-up/break-down and schedule, but they're paid very well and even have benefits! They're pretty protective of their employer, as a result, and aren't going to willingly trash-talk him or the circus beyond some standard grumbling about the extra work going into this as Gloucester wasn't originally on their tour schedule.
  
  
• LOST & FOUND (26 August - 2 September) - Employees will be generally helpful in these situations, using walkie-talkies to try to find missing children. They won't be fast, though. Parents will be uniformly distressed, then grateful to anyone who might assist in locating their children. Children will be wholly unharmed, wherever they are found, but frightened, confused and disoriented. Characters who end up as 'winners' in the Fun House will need several minutes to get their bearings back after following their hallucinations. If they try to return to the Fun House, they won't seem to be able to find the center of the maze anymore, and the mirror maze will appear to be wholly ordinary and the correct size for the space it's in.
  
  
• THE RINGMASTER (26 August - 2 September) - Characters who would leap in to assist Pyre will be waylaid by staff just long enough for him to stir and complete his act to show that he is, indeed, alive and seemingly fine. Those who still try to interrupt will be escorted out by security. Characters will have the chance to speak to Fenix, Penny, Roderick, and Pyre during this prompt. The first four will be available for the full week the circus is in town. Pyre will be available the final night. Characters may interrogate one NPC each. Each NPC will have different information they may be able to provide.

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(frozen comment) QUESTIONS

[apocalypsehowmods]

Please direct questions HERE.

NPC Interactions

[apocalypsehownpcs]

Please respond below if you would like to interact with an NPC. Characters are limited to interrogating one NPC each. If you are interrogating in pairs, the pair may interrogate two NPCs. Please place the name of the NPC you would like to interact with in the subject line of your top-level. It is assumed that interactions are taking place in a small, semi-private tent following the main act shows for the evening.

Available NPCs for this event are:

• Fenix Down, the Ringmaster
  
• Penny, the Dancing Flame
  
• Roderick, the Man with the Laser Hands
  
• Pyre, the Phoenix

Meredith Idlewild - OC

[henchgal]

1. Send In the Clowns
For the sake of the occasion, Meredith's actually wrapped her cane in red and yellow duct tape, making bold diagonal stripes down the length. It's a whole look, especially because her lipstick matches the red tape and there's a bright yellow ribbon in a bow around her ponytail. She's here for the circus, why not have a little fun?

While she's definitely here to investigate, she's also one of the people most likely to attempt to coax someone into trying to win her a stuffed animal at the games, batting her eyelashes and asking oh-so-politely.

2. Lost & Found
It isn't hard to lure a wild Meredith into the funhouse, where she easily gets turned around and lost. As time goes on and she gets no closer to the exit, she actually pulls out a tube of lipstick to mark where she's been so she can try to keep track of dead ends. Eventually, she doesn't find her way to the center, she just finds the entrance and nopes the fuck out. No, our Meredith is not one of the winners.

Those who find themselves stalking hallucinations in the aftermath of the funhouse will note she makes an easy target if their hallucinations are projected onto real people; she moves slowly and carefully, and doesn't have the sort of situational awareness other potential stalkees might.

3. The Ringmaster
After Pyre goes up in flames, those nearest to Meredith might hear her murmur to herself: "Just like the Torch Singer..." While she doesn't seem entirely scared or concerned, she is visibly more on-edge after the conflagration, giving a quick look around for those she knows and trusts.

X. Wildcard
Something from plotting I didn't prompt for? Random idea you had that might be fun? Hit me! I'm darkersolstice or darkersolstice#9463 on Discord if you wanna chat!

Satoru Gojou | Jujutsu Kaisen

[120vision]

1. By The Pricking Of My Thumb

Gojou is being aggressive about his particular papering of fliers. Not only is he putting fliers up in even in the smallest of spots, but he's papering over other people's as well. He's not going to stop anytime soon, unless someone intervenes. He's not paying attention to any particular rules of how to put them up, either - many of his are crooked or even downright sideways.

He seems very gleeful as he does this, perhaps almost manic.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Gojou's one of the people that helped find information. He'd gotten tired of trying to look, like, an hour in - but pressed himself to continue. And he's glad he did! This can be a badge of honor.

What isn't a badge of honor is the fact that since he misbehaved so badly during the last assignment, he has a mentor paired with him. So he sulks all the way to the circus and continues to do so once they're there. If pressed to speak, he's very grumpy about it. He's used to being in a position of power, not... down low like this. It's shameful to him.

Might take a bit of effort to get him to do what he's supposed to do.

Send in the Clowns

Avoiding anything that looks like a clown or a goat, Gojou is playing the games and playing them well. He's a crack shot, so he tends to stick to games that require a good eye. He hasn't tried Liar, Liar yet but he's knocking stuff down with the baseball. A little too much fun - he keeps winning, and the attendant is starting to look more than a bit annoyed with him.

Eventually, he's kicked out, and meanders around moping again. You might find him taunting a goat to try to get over his fear. But it's obvious from the look on his face that it's all bravado.

Lost & Found

Having found the center of the maze rather easily, Gojou is disoriented now. He's been following different hallucinations - sometimes he thinks he sees his favourite student from around a corner, other times he thinks he's spotted a familiar blood drenched figure that he shouldn't be seeing again. He's understandably upset. One shouldn't be here and the other has been dead for a year.

He needs help saving from his own neuroses.

The Ringmaster

Though Gojou doesn't really understand the concept of 'feeding a Fear' yet, he's chatting all the time that the fire burns and is managing to do exactly that - feed his Entity. He's making pointed comments about the self immolation, trying to make it seem even scarier than it already is. He's not talking for distraction, he's talking to make it worse. All because he thinks this is funny. He doesn't buy it for a second, and the fact that the guy gets up doesn't help that.

But then, for the first time since he got here, his Six Eyes fully awaken and he Sees the circus workers for who they are and how much cursed energy they have. Although he didn't see how much energy that Pyre had to start with, he certainly sees that he has a lot now. And that's... intriguing.

Using his eyes is addictive. He's looking too and fro, and sometimes seeing people he knows in a different light.

Fenix Down

[120vision]

When the show is over, Gojo presses his way through the crowd and tries to talk to the man with the most energy - Fenix. He greets him with an eager wave and presses close.

"What a show you've put on here," he says. "Care to explain why you're so eager to terrorize?"

Send in the Clowns

[120vision]

"You don't even have to ask."

Gojou rolls his sleeves up as much as he dares and makes a show of his muscles. He'd been planning on winning her something, whether he ran into her or not - he'd just give it to her later, if he didn't find her here.

"Point out something you want."

[henchgal]

Meredith glances around at the games and points out a 'hit the balloons with darts' game, where there's a teddy bear with purple fur, wearing a tutu, that is legitimately somewhere over four feet tall. "Think you could manage to win that one?"

It's Gojou, she has no doubt he can do it. She just wants to see if he'd actually go all out to win it for her.

[120vision]

"I could manage to win two."

Okay, but now Gojou has to live up to his boasting. He has no reason to believe he can't, though, especially when he lands the first two shots almost immediately.

"I have a good eye."

Or six.

[henchgal]

Apparently, he needs to hit ten shots in a row to win that particular bear. Meredith stays off to one side, watching him admiringly. Though every time the balloons pop, there's a little jump. Probably just the sound. Probably.

It is not just the sound.

[120vision]

"Is the sound getting to you? I can't do it quieter."

He isn't missing one. He's very good at splitting his attention, so he keeps one of his hidden eyes on her while he focuses the rest on the balloons.

[apocalypsehownpcs]

Fenix just offers Gojou a confused grin when he enters the little tent. "Terrorize? Friend, my friend! Were you not delighted? My circus brings excitement, not terror."

[henchgal]

"No, no. Just my joints acting up, I think. I might sit down for a bit after this, I think."

Except, she knows her body, she knows her joints. The pain she's feeling is different, a snapping sort of feeling that radiates from her chest as each balloon is popped. And it gets worse with each balloon.

There's a theory building in the back of her mind. She's not going to say it aloud, yet, though.

send in the clowns.

[heavenchained]

( Toji nearly drops his prizes — there's a few he's trying to pass off to the locals. )

There's nothing funny about it, I promise — hey, hang on.

( He passes the thing off to a family, making to sneak up behind Gojou, who is prodding a goat that seems to be unbothered by him.

Toji nudges his ass with his foot. He calls, a bit loud: )

Easy, there! Looks like you're gonna fall in and faceplant.

martin blackwood | the magnus archives | ota, i'll mach your format!

[lowficharm]

i. [by the pricking of my thumb] i've never had satisfaction in the chemical reactions that happen in my head

[Out of all the things in his life Martin has suffered trauma from, he really didn't think that a circus was going to score that high. Of course he's had some notable circus stories, seen some things, but most of it was stuff that happened to other people around him, so surely he wouldn't have taken it so hard. Unfortunately, that's not how brains work, and the first time Martin hears even a slight bit of calliope music he finds himself needing to sit down for a few minutes before he can entertain thoughts again. It's fine. It's, it's so fine. Totally.

Because of this he deeply avoids any staff, but he can't avoid the posters when they're showing up absolutely everywhere. So he'll just be... removing them. It's not hard to acquire a staple remover from ADI for if he needs it, and he's just slipping up and removing them when people aren't looking. Or at least... when he thinks people aren't looking. Perhaps this man has just destroyed a variety of your hard work. Maybe you think the posters he's carrying he'll be looking to hang up somewhere else. Or perhaps you just wonder why in the flurry of everyone being excited he seems very much not to be. Either or, he doesn't seem to notice you, so you can approach him however you see fit and figure out what the hell his problem seems to be with some pieces of paper.]

ii. [something wicked this way comes] there are faults in these cracks, they send volts then relax

[As much as Martin doesn't trust ADI, he's so relieved at the idea of partners after last month's everything. Not that he thinks the buddy system is going to help a ton considering he was kidnapped just off the street, but he really doesn't hate being with other people in this situation.

He's nervous about approaching the carnival anyway, but he'll stick to whoever he's been assigned (or picked), looking towards them as they leave the ADI meeting to head over.]

So, uhm... ghost carnivals. Not, uhm, n-not what I expected to be happening this month?

iii. [send in the clowns] and realize the wrong message was sent

[As much as he's never had great experiences with a carnival, fire is surprisingly more easy to be around, and he thinks he might be getting the hang of it. Of course he's not here to hang out, but... well, maybe he'll try some food, lose a few games, who knows. He has to blend in, after all, look like he isn't just staring at everything. Who knows, maybe he can have a little fun.

He's just thinking that things might look up when he rounds a corner of the game thoroughfare and comes face to face with another person. Or well, almost a person-- they stand about as tall as one, except their face is not a face, just a featureless orb of shiny plastic. Later, Martin will realize this is a perfectly innocent mannequin that is set up in a colorful outfit to promote one of the games. That said, this is not now, and with an absolute scream he does his first instinct which turns out to be hitting it very, very hard.

The mannequin falls to the ground with a crash and the stall keeper looks immediately to be climbing out and very angry. Martin, for his own point, looks mortified and is already bending down to try and pick it up.]

I'm sorry, I, r-really, I'm so sorry--

[His hands still seem to be shaking a little. Maybe you want to see if he's okay...]

iv. [lost and found; august 28th] it's disillusion, and confusion, this illusion of me

USERNAME: mkblackwood

Hello everyone. As I assume we have all been investigating the circus, I wanted to share some information I had heard from the workers to make sure that all of us are safe.

If you are somewhere and you suddenly see a yellow door that you thought wasn't there before, or is standing without a doorframe, do not knock on it. Apparently people have seen others go in there and do not know where they come out, if they come out at all. I have not seen it myself, but I thought I would inform you all just in case.

[He wants to make this official and sign it, but even he's not technology-illiterate enough to sign what is effectively a forum post. Hopefully though people will just take this at face value and be cool with it. Hopefully. Sure.]

v. [wildcard] i've come to this conclusion that i'll never fully be

[OOC: Want a specific prompt or something not listed here? Hit me up via PM, cancerously or on discord at cancerously#6043 and I can whip something up!]

Tim Drake | DC Comics

[ployboy]

[ By the Pricking of My Thumb / Something Wicked This Way Comes → ]
[Fenix Down Extravaganza. Boston was thirty or so  miles away. Why stop in Cape Ann? Any newer act would struggle with permission from the larger cities, but two days and nights of eye strain due to the atrocious blue light of public library computers and his own janky buy of a secondhand computer had told Tim that the circus was pulling in some good money. There had been no big legal concerns following the circus, in the States or farther north. It had a solid following, every update and posted touring schedule drawing in significantly more attention than the run-of-the-mill county carnivals. Fenix could rake in a larger crowd. Tim can barely take a step through Gloucester without having a poster of some clown staring him down-- but Fenix could rake in a larger crowd. Just thirty or so miles to Boston. Why stop the train in Cape Ann?

1921.

He's missing something. They're all missing something. A dozen-plus dead a hundred years ago, burned alive. Could have been hundreds, if, say, the train would have reached-- doesn't matter, it didn't happen. ADI knows that.

ADI decides to allow the show to go on. Tim all but scowls through the meeting. Partners? Why tie them down now instead of-- doesn't matter.

He's a Gothamite, born and bred. He doesn't love circuses, or not being able to take a step through Gloucester without having a poster of some clown staring him down.] That looks like a fire hazard.

[The posters all piled up on top each other like that? His hands are stuffed in his pockets, there's a distinct displeasure as he stalks through the streets this evening. Curfew? Better hurry back if you're concerned about that; Tim isn't in a rush today.]

[ Send In the Clowns → ]
[The snake-man is cool, and his lizards are pretty sweet.

The cotton candy does indeed taste like it will irreparably rot him from the inside out; Tim's not sure if that means it's good or not. The shows are fine, though he has no compulsion to stay so long in any tent that showcases contortionists or any sort of acrobatics. He's sure he should be doing better; he was here to search for a truth that ADI hides from them. There were people counting on him. He's already devoted sleepless nights to figuring this entire Thing out. But he can't do it, he can't stay long in any tent that houses contortionists, or acrobatics, no matter how tame. But the snake-man is actually pretty nice.

It's a circus; there's a lot to do. Like:

→ Nod off standing in line for uber-sweet lemonade until someone rudely bumps him forward.

→ Rest his eyes for a second, arms crossed on the picnic table and acting as his pillow to his head as he very graciously does not drool on said table.

→ After hours, he's... around. Where security isn't.

→ He'll chat easily with miscellaneous staff, sometimes a small and animated circle of them. Surprisingly, maybe, to anyone close enough to hear chatter, the sharp-dressed boy has some authentic circus tales to tell and connections are easy to make.

→ He's in a dunk tank, somehow recruited into being the one who's doomed to that collapsible seat. Please rescue him. NO not like that--]

[ Lost & Found → ]
[He's fucking stupid, of course he'd find Dick here.

His heart squeezes so much it hurts, that first lurch forward at the sight of the man nearly making him stumble. He's tired, Tim's tired, but his brother's here and the concern is bullishly pressed down in favor of that selfish relief.

Everything can be okay, Tim thinks for the first time in fucking forever, because his brother's here-- right there, he sees him, it can't be anyone else-- there had been new people brought in by ADI this past week-- what the hell had Dick been doing, not reporting to that meeting-- but yeah, he gets it, this can be all sorts of heavy for a guy who lost his--

Dick doesn't seem to see him, and Tim thinks, no, that's wrong

but he pushes through you with more force than is necessary, he's sorry, this is important.]

[ wildcard → ]
[looking for something else? fourboars on plurk, hit me up for plotting! or try fourboars#9298 on discord <3 ]

Kate Cordello - Original

[bossyboiler]

Airplanes are good for advertising because they contain fliers.
By the Pricking of My Thumb - (The 25th)

Kate finds herself being pressed into service when it comes to putting up fliers. She's not going to complain. A hundred dollars is a hundred dollars. The funds will come in useful at some point, she feels. Besides, they never said how many to put up. They never said how long she had to accomplish her task. She has decided that she can use this time to explore some of the town that she hasn't gotten to see yet.

When the compulsion hits her, it goes a little wonky. She wants to put up more fliers and more fliers she does put up. However, she notices that someone has already been putting them up and putting them up with no care whatsoever. What is the point of accepting a job if you aren't going to do it properly? Some of the posters are crooked while some only have a singular piece of scotch tape holding them up. It won't do, it won't do at all.

Someone is bound to catch her taking down the lopsided fliers and putting one of her own up that is perfectly level and straight. Someone is bound to here her indignant comments about someone else doing a shit job.

InvestiKATE.
Something Wicked This Way Comes - (The 26th and 27th)

Kate is present at ADI Headquarters during the staff meeting. She is willing to investigate but isn't certain what they should be looking for. Should they look to see if any of the train carts match the description of the ghostly one? Should they look to see if there are any pictures of the old performers that may match the current ones? She isn't sure but there is one thing that she is certain of, she has a partner to go with her.

She's quiet until they get to the carnival grounds. "It's okay if you'd rather go it alone. I won't tell ADI."

Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right...
Send In the Clowns - (The 26th - 2nd)

It has been a great while since Kate had attended anything remotely resembling a circus. There are a few childhood memories of local fairs but that has been a long time ago. At any rate, she's glad that she accepted the hundred-dollars to put up those fliers. From the look of the food and game prices, she's going to need it.

Food. Glorious food! She has no interest in such benign items as hot dogs. Why bother them when she can have a funnel cake covered with powdered sugar and strawberries? There's cotton-candy to be had! There are candied apples covered with just about anything you can imagine. Kate is going to try most of it but she's not completely selfish. She is willing to share especially with her roommates.

Kate doesn't know what kind of luck she'll have at the carnival games but she is going to try. At the ladder climb, she flips over and falls for everyone to see. She has to step away after losing at the Dart Toss. All of the balloons had been filled with red paint but there had been a few moments, just a couple of microseconds, where she had believed them filled with human blood. "Gross," she says out loud.

The ring toss doesn't go well for her either. One second she had been holding a plastic ring, the next second she heard a slight hiss and when she looked down it was a living ouroboros. With a shriek, Kate flings the ring away. With the shriek, the ring is plastic again. Maybe it's a trick of the light. Maybe the hiss had come from an air compressor. It couldn't have been real... right?

"That counts as a toss, miss." She hears from the carnival worker. Kate gives him a funny look. It really must have been her imagination. She tosses the remaining rings. Not a single one lands on a bottle. She hopes the person next to her has better luck.

Screaming can be a breathtaking experience!
Lost & Found - (The 26th - 2nd)

A Fun House should be fun, fun is in the name after all. However, Kate is not having a fun time. She is not having a fun time whatsoever.

She doesn't know how but she has gotten herself lost. Kate thinks that she is probably going to be bruised in the morning from all of the bumping into things that she has done. It doesn't matter where she turns or what corridor she walks down, she can't find her way out. Kate doesn't seem to be able to find little Tommy that she had been sent in to retrieve. That had been the only reason she willingly entered the Fun House. She doesn't like dark and confined places but she her desire to be liked outweighs that.

Out of nowhere, she thinks she remembers some trick about how to get out of a maze (though it is probably just her mind playing tricks on her). Kate places two fingers against the mirror surface
and begins to walk, her fingers skimming the surface ahead of her. The idea is to find an opening in the mirrors, another hall to move into.

Kate screams bloody murder when she touches something that is neither open air nor the flat surface of glass.

Ring-A-Ding-Ding!
The Ringmaster - (The 26th - 2nd)

Kate is in attendance for the final show. It promises to be sizzling or so she's heard. She enjoys the shows put on by Penny and Roderick but then comes the final act, the burning man. At first she thinks his act is going to involve playing with fire, maybe backed up with pyrotechnics and the like. Maybe it will be a combination of all past performers joining together.

Oh, no. Oh no no no no.

It's time for flight, fight, or freeze! Kate involuntarily chooses the third option. She finds herself stuck to her seat and having to watch another person burn to death before her eyes. Pyre lights a match and is immediately engulfed in flames. A scream of no catches in her throat.

There is no relieved clapping with Pyre rises from the ashes. Instead, Kate makes a break from the tent as soon as she is able.

She runs out of the tent and tries not to throw up.

Wildcard!

(( I will match style, prose or action-spam! If there is anything else that anyone would like, it goes here. Maybe your character also wants to catch Kate using her powers to scare some poor, unfortunate mimes. Maybe they want to investigate with her. Maybe there's something that I missed and you'd like to play it out. Hit me up! ))

Mime Mistake (Closed to Malcolm Bright)

[bossyboiler]

She can feel it inside her. It's not in her head or her stomach or even her heart. It feels more ominous than that. The feeling could be in her soul for all she knows. The only thing that is for certain is what the feeling needs. It needs to feed. It needs to see people afraid.

Kate has tried to ignore it. She doesn't want to go down that route because it is not who she wants to be as a person. But maybe she already is that person and she is simply lying to herself. After all, hadn't it been her to keep a conspiracy on her own world a secret? Hadn't it been her who found Specials and had them erased from record and forced into service? It gives her a headache. It infects her dreams.

The dreams say all will be well as long is the great eye is fed. The dreams say all will not be well for her if it doesn't. Feed or be fest upon, that is the message. She can't ignore it anymore. It simply leaves the question of who to scare?

Eventually, Kate settles on a mime. Why a mime? She thinks that it is the perfect cover. She finds a bench near the performer and sits down. Her eyes never leave the Mime. Eventually, the Mime does their trapped in a box bit and that's when she strikes. She finds that her powers come readily to her.

With her palm splayed up on her knee, Kate manifests a force-field around the Mime. Most people would miss the subtle teal shimmer at the corners of the box because most wouldn't be looking for it. The Mime flexes their fingers on the box to show that they are trapped and there is a moment of genuine moment of fear. It shows in how big their eyes get when they touch the force field. While the Mime experimentally touches another part of the force field, Kate closes the box in on itself. They still have room to maneuver, however.

It is only after the Mime has turned in a circle and touched ever panel of the force-field that Kate squeezes the box a little tighter. The performers, meanwhile, love it. They think the Mime's performance is genuine. When the box closes in again, the crowd laughs as the Mime starts to scream for help only Kate is keeping all of the sound trapped within the box. The laugh gets louder when they start beating their hands on the force field in an effort to break it. The audience thinks its for show.

She could do it. Kate knows that she could squeeze the Mime into oblivion until nothing but chunks remain. It wouldn't be too hard. All she has to do is concentrate, squeeze and... NO! Kate stops and immediately releases the Mime who collapses on the ground. The audience collapses.

Kate looks away from the Mime. She needs a moment to process what she had just done. It had felt good. It had felt real good but it wasn't enough. She should do it again, test it out, that feeling tells her. No, no. She tells it. Maybe later because she's suddenly noticed a new problem, Malcolm Bright.

i

[twistedbones]

--'ey! 'ey, 'oo!

[The boy rounding on Martin is, for some reason, holding a crumpled sheaf of posters between his teeth. He spits them out to fall on the sidewalk, his face contorted in a scowl.]

What do you think you're doing?!

[Notably, the latest clusters of posters Martin will have come across are...well, they're posted at about knee height, stuck to the wall with wadded-up sticky tape that appears to have cat hair stuck to a lot of it. Those, too, are crumpled.]

Shiroe | Log Horizon

[guildmastermind]

1. Something Wicked This Way Comes
1a. Library
Shiroe may not have been the first to find information about the train, but he is one of the people who notice that if the train had been on schedule, the story would have been worse. If you're another researcher, you might see him stand up from the table he's been doing his reading at, pulling out a road map he'd bought from a local gas station.

"This accident could have been a lot worse, if the train had made it to Boston. Look, if it was traveling at the standard speed of trains in that time period, it'd have been there the next morning."

1b. Meeting
As part of the HR department, when he's not doing research, Shiroe's had a hand in some of the partner assignments, and now he's handing them out. He's available to listen to complaints or concerns, of course. But as he's approached, there's a moment when his glasses gleam in the fluorescent office building light, and he suddenly appears more menacing as he smiles, as if he's got some great secret scheme and it's all coming together.

"Is there something wrong with your partner?"

2. Send In the Clowns
Shiroe is avoiding the food. And the games. And the performances. He's sort of lurking around the edges of everything, taking notes with a quill pen in a leather notebook, the inkwell sitting on the top of a nearby trashcan.

At least he's not wearing his cloak and carrying his staff right now. But there is something weird about how he has a computer mouse tied around his neck loosely, like a sort of really goofy necklace.

Occasionally, other characters might find him watching them curiously. Someone really ought to get him to loosen up and have some fun, huh?

Lost & Found
As people start coming out of the funhouse seeming disoriented, Shiroe seems concerned, reaching into his bag for his staff. While he may not be able to hare off after everyone who 'wins' the funhouse's game (he's probably only going to be able to pull this off a couple times, honestly), those who seem to be most likely to harm others will hear him raise his voice.

"Dispel Magic!"

The world seems calmer, clearer after that, the effect ended on the one he casts that spell on.

harry du bois | disco elysium

[horrifictie]

by the pricking of my thumb

[ the awe and wonder of the circus coming to town is both lost and found to harry. he's heard of clowns - mostly because he has been called one, many times by rude union workers - but a whole circus of them? it's too much to not investigate. that's the lost part. what he finds is that clowns mildly terrify him. they are of course people under the painted faces and absurd clothing, but something about it crosses deep into the uncanny valley.

COMPOSURE [Formidable: Success] - You're managing to keep cool even while alert, but who knows what could set you off at any moment? Be cautious.

what distracts him, or at least gives him something else to think about, is the offer of cash for poster spreading. he wouldn't do it for free, but a hundred dollars is too good to pass up. a shame though - in all worlds, money is still the most important thing for a nervous simian to possess. at least this task is easy, if not a little tedious. his mind already begins to wander just a few posters in, huffing gently. then he notices someone else beside him, gets a thought, and grins. ]

Hey there, how many of these have you put up so far?

send in the clowns

[ the clowns aren't going to stop unnerving him anytime soon, but the rest of this carnival is incredible. he's just doing his best to avoid looking at any of them, willing himself to not see and steel his nerves as he goes through the area. he can be found: ]

asbestos mike:

[ the performers are easier to tolerate to his visual senses, but watching mike juggle all those coals... he is completely fascinated. he stares more at the man's expression than the actual juggling, stunned. ]

Asbestos Mike... you're *so much* cooler than Contact Mike. [ he says it to himself, but then he cups his mouth and shouts: ] Asbestos Mike, you're the real deal! Juggle those fucking coals! God man, you're insane!

[ and from there he begins noisily cheering asbestos mike on through the routine, to the sour faces of everyone around him. if asbestos mike minds, he does not let it show on his face. he is in total control, which only makes harry want to break that composure - if only to know what will happen next.

for now he's only screaming a mix of praise and horror at the man, as people around him continue to glare. the attendants do nothing - this *is* a circus after all. ]

liar liar:

[ of all the games, this one makes him the most curious. hidden away from the other booths, the draw of obscurity and a bit of exclusivity. if you come here, you'll walk away with a story others may not have. he looks over it and picks up a bean bag that the carnie offers for him to feel. it's solid, filled up with what feels like sand. he wants to try it out, but is it any fun without someone to compete against? he backtracks from the stand and tries to find someone to pull in. whether you notice him first, or he tugs on your arm as you pass by, he will smile expectantly. ]

Hey, play this game with me in the back. [ a beat, then- ] It does not sound what you think it sounds like.

[ RHETORIC [Medium: Success] - Oh no, what are you even talking about? Why did you feel the need to clarify it like *that*? ]

hall of mirrors (aftermath) - cw: panic attack

[ where is she, where did she go? he saw her, he saw her, in that sequin disco outfit smiling like a cat who caught the canary, and now she's nowhere to be found. disappeared like the smoke she puffed as she took her drag and played with his emotions, turning him inside out against himself. or... or was that just him, and his brain with holes in it? he has to find her. he has to know why, why did she lie to him? why couldn't she trust him? what did he do wrong?

VOLITION - Stop! Just stop. She played you. You were warned and you let her off easy. It is what it is. You need to let it go. You're never going to find her. Please...

even so, the thought of not looking fills him with more dread. so he trudges through the circus, keeping an eye out for a blond woman in a sequin top and matching white khakis. he stops random passerby's if they've seen anyone matching the description to no avail. there's no way she could have gotten that far, right? right. he must be right.

then his legs give in, abnormally exhausted of extensive running, and falls to the ground on his knees. he can run across all of martinaise and back barely breaking a sweat, so why can't he run around this circus without his chest on fire? his hand reaches for his shirt, clutching hard, and he starts to pant and gasp for air.

ENDURANCE - Shit, shit, his heart is going into overdrive. It's not a heart attack, but it feels just the same. ]

for stephen strange

[horrifictie]

[ taking on a partner to do work with is nothing new for harry, but... well he misses his partner. having kim around for a week of a murder case with subcase upon subcase atop it was a lot of fun. he hopes this guy, stephen strange, is fun. the guy's surname makes him sound like a character out of dick mullen crime fiction, so it better be fun.

as the staff meeting disperses and everyone connects with their new buddy, harry is immediately struck awe by stephen's outfit. a cape - the man wears a lengthy cape and some sort of supernatural tunic that makes him look like he stepped out of a psychic's parlor to tell him a fortune. incredible, he loves this man already.

him, on the other hand? well he's just dressed in his green disco blazer, yellow slacks, and snakeskin shoes. he's fly as always. ]

Hey there, Strange. Name's Harry. Good to be working with you.

[ RHETORIC [Easy: Success] - Let's face it, you have to address him by last name, all the time. You cannot ignore the pull of a wacky moniker. ]

Det. William Schenk | The Saw series

[iwanttotrustyou]

I. By the Pricking of My Thumb

[He hadn't decided to help with the posters for the money, though that was a nice perk to the task. Really, William wanted to sniff around, to get a sense of the city on the eve of something clearly strange. And, well, if he were to put up posters, he'd at least be able to go with others in case shit hit the fan.

While spreading one over a bare wall on the side of a store, he glances over at his poster-laying companion for the day, asking:]

How many of these do you have left, you think?

II. Something Wicked This Way Comes/Send in the Clowns

[He's not entirely sure what to think about being assigned as a 'mentor'.
William had only just arrived, after all, and it felt weird to be told to look after someone else. Especially for -- disobedience? It felt like being a hall monitor in elementary school.

Glancing at his -- mentee? partner? -- he nods at the circus around them and says:]

I don't...really want to touch the food. Would be interested in looking at the sideshow, though. Could be informative.

III. Lost and Found

[William sees someone he knows when he walks out of the fun house. For a second, he's walking out into the relative brightness of the circus, regaining his bearings after the maze, looking out at the crowd milling around --

And then he spots Benny Reitz. Benny, who he had hired once for his ability to draw attention in a crowd. Who had done his job flawlessly, who knew how to weave his way amongst human bodies in a dense setting. Who was very, very dead now, a skinned slab of meat in a morgue drawer back home.

William should be suspicious of that. He knows he should, at least a little bit. And yet he darts off all the same, focused and unmovable, shouldering through the crowd to keep track of the bobbing familiar head in the crowd.]

[sorser]

[Fun is a relative concept, really. Stephen would say that he’s a somewhat serious sort, with a somewhat serious job back home. But he’s also wearing his sorcerer’s garb as though he belongs in the circus rather than assigned to investigate it; he’s adept in spell casting and magic in general; his last name is Strange, for heaven’s sake. All-in-all, he could rank relatively high on the “fun” scale via glancing impression alone.

The man he’s partnered with? “Eccentric” could be the right word to describe him based on his fashion choices, but maybe that makes him a hypocrite of the highest degree, and not even worth mentioning.

The correction-slash-addendum, though, comes instinctively—]

Doctor Strange, if you don’t mind.

[But it’s affable enough, not particularly minding having an assigned partner. Teamwork isn’t always preferred, but it isn’t exactly new, and it wasn’t ever shunned.

Stephen even extends a hand—scarred, only vaguely unsteady—for a shake.]

Hope you’re ready to pound the pavement.

[As the saying goes, or however one applies the idiom in a circus setting. Because Stephen looks ready to get started.]

Junior | Read or Die

[littlegentleman]

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES

[It's not that Junior means to impolite about the whole ordeal, but he can't help the wave of mild disappointment that goes through him when he's assigned a partner. He's heard stories of circuses and carnivals and all sorts of marvelous festivals, but never expected that he'd ever get the chance to go to one. Sure, it's for business and research, but...he'd perhaps hoped to get more of a chance to look around on his own.

Don't be surprised when he takes the first chance he can to sneak off, one of Junior's very special skills. For now, though, he stares at the colorful ticket in his hands and there's a bit of sheepishness in his small voice.]

You don't suppose...there'll be time to do more than just observe?

[When all is said and done, he really is just a kid, after all.]

SEND IN THE CLOWNS

a.)

[Actually being in the thick of things is practically overwhelming to the sheltered boy. Junior's eyes are wide as he takes in the smells, the sounds, the sounds. Always, he reminds himself, that he needs to stay on task, and keep himself as focused as possible on the assignment. Easier said than done when surrounded by such magnificent temptations.

Although he's not particularly interested in the sidehows, he very often hesitates when passing by different stalls of sticky, colorful treats. The cotton candy and candied apples he can't help but steal repeated glances toward.]

Excuse me...

[Whether you're his partner or just passing by, he poses a tentative question.]

Have you ever had one of those, before?

b.)

[The games are just as intriguing to him, but despite admiring some of the large stuffed prizes, always stays back, observing how others interact with the different set-ups. After watching several losses, he seems to come to a conclusion:]

They're designed for failure.

[A money-stealing scheme?]

LOST & FOUND

[If there was ever any doubt that Junior doesn't behave like your standard kid, the apparent twelve-year-old looks exceedingly uncomfortable when a much younger boy, likey around six or seven, can be seen latched onto his arm and sobbing. The poor kid, crying for his parents, has seemed to decide that the best way to feel safe was to latch onto another, older, calmer boy.

But Junior is flush-faced and awkward, limbs tensed as he looks around him with panic in his usually calm gaze.]

Um, please stop crying.

[Honestly, isn't there an adult who can handle this better than him?]

WILDCARD

[If you want to do something else, I'm up for any other prompts, as well! Feel free to come up with something of your own or plot with me over at ddsapphire!]

Send In The Clowns (A)

[aelwyn_aberration]

[Aelwyn blinks a few times as she realizes she's being spoken to, breaking her out of her more obsessive thoughts of what the fuck, what the fuck is all this, why are there so many people.]

Erm... no, I can't say I have.

[What is that. It smells like sugar which, well, she wasn't really allowed to have growing up.]

...What is it?