⇨ ATLANTIS

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: The morning of D44 and onward.
Where: The ocean realm of Atlantis.
What: The carnival abruptly arrives at an underwater realm, and everyone is transfigured into merpeople just as suddenly.
Warnings: Body horror, I guess.

THE CITY OF ATLANTIS↴ The visit starts without much warning, but at least there is a full week of free time before performances start. In the meantime, your characters will be given ample opportunity to adjust their acts for an underwater audience, get used to their new fishy appendages, or just spend the whole time enjoying the sights and sounds of Atlantis city. King Triton will not be immediately seen, but it's possible to gain an audience with him if you get in contact with the ambassadors of the kingdom. Just, make sure that you're not wasting his time. He's a lot less patient with nonsense than the Ringmaster is. ► FISH FRIDAY: You fell asleep, whether or not that's something you usually do, and the next morning you wake up as one of the merfolk. A few last additions may grow in after you're awake, but for the most part everyone will have a method of swimming and a method of breathing underwater transfigured into them upon waking. Don't worry about your belongings - everything is waterproofed, and technology will work the same underwater as it does above it. That doesn't mean there won't be plenty to get used to, though. ► GREAT BLUE YONDER: The ocean realm where Atlantis resides is enormous, and the depths seem to be unending. Despite the fact that there doesn't seem to be any surface, sun glimmers all the way down to the ocean floor. Atlanteans use creatures like whales and dolphins as rides and beasts of burden, and they can be seen swimming in and out of the city as constantly as roadways filed with cars in earth civilization. Beyond that, there's everything you would expect to see on the ocean floor here - huge reefs of coral, both familiar and exotic, enormous ocean plants, deep ocean trenches, and all kinds of weird critters living in them. There are a mix of mythical and standard ocean creatures, and are likely a combined populations of many oceans worth of beings. ► THE ATLANTEAN MARKET: The Atlantean market (aka the "merket") is a long trench between rows of buildings in the middle of the city, lit with bio-luminescent plants and rocks, and filled with all kinds of weird mer stuff that you can buy. There are a great many individual booths, mostly with hand crafted wares and objects that have been salvaged from various sunken ships. The Ringmaster has already traded a large number of goods to the merfolk here, and has taken the profit to award each worker with 100 Atlantean Gold to spend as they please. One gold is worth roughly five USA dollars, for a comparison of how much that is. There is a top level set up below in which characters can make their purchases, and you can also handwave the purchase of random common, necessary items (food, drink, etc) at your convenience. ► TREASURE HUNTING: Right now, the only major salvage areas are a few left over sunken ships that have mostly been picked over by the merfolk. However, you are welcome to head over to them and explore, and see if fortune smiles on you when it comes to finding anything that hasn't been taken yet. The current options are three similar looking brigantine that all probably came from the same world. Merfolk do not seem to consider them to be anything extraordinary, though magical items and gold have allegedly been found within them. Whether or not anything is left, is the real question. ► LIMELIGHTING: Merfolk are curious and generally socially forward, as a species. This mean that they find the carnival's workers to be a fascinating novelty, and also are unafraid to make that fascination obvious. Given the opportunity, merfolk will demand your character's attention for bombardments of questions and for general socializing, especially if they are particularly unusual for some reason. Don't be surprised if you get invited to stay at total stranger's houses, or dragged off to a merfolk bar to surprise party with their friends. They'll let you say no, reluctantly, but they will also be pleased as punch to get up in your gill. It's also possible to make some money, this way, if you're willing to do street performances, or are willing to sell your "skills" in a more private environment. Yes, there are opportunities to become a fish hooker if you are so inclined. Merfolk may also offer money to take you as arm candy to various public events, escort style. They don't consider this to be a particularly socially inappropriate thing to do, either. You can ask general questions about this setting over on the event post. There are top levels below for buying Atlantean merch, and also for making dolla dolla, if your character is inclined to try.

Comments

Fish Friday!

[destiny_key]

[As hilarious as this is, Sora's not one to leave a friend to flop around like a lunatic in a strange space. It is really funny, though, so he might. Take a minute to get there.]

Do, uh, do you need help?

[pipers_son]

[Frankly, Joker wouldn’t blame Sora for laughing at him a bit- it is kind of funny, and he’s more than used to laughing at himself. As Sora swims over, Joker gives up for the time being and just lets himself float for a second.]

Would be appreciated, actually. S’a bit of a strange thing, ta swim with wings.

[destiny_key]

I guess so! I remember having a hard time the first time I had a tail. And yours is, uh, a bit different from mine.

[Sora snickers a bit, then offers a hand to help Joker right himself.]

[pipers_son]

I think havin’ this many legs ain’t the usual, either.

[Boy, he’ll be perfectly fine not keeping this change once they move on. Taking Sora’s hand, he does his best to roll properly into the ‘up’ position.]

[destiny_key]

Yeah, I've... never actually seen someone get legs before. Tentacles, yeah, but not actual legs.

[pipers_son]

Well, shrimp gotta alive somewhere. I’m sure I’ll figure it out a bit. I mean, I do got a fin- sorta-

{And he tries to flop through the water, flapping said finned tail.]

[destiny_key]

[Sora laughs at Joker's poor swimming attempt, and puts his hands behind his head.]

Well, you're definitely the biggest shrimp I've ever seen.

[pipers_son]

[Giving up and floating in the water again, Joker snorts.]

Ain’t that a, whatsitcalled…. Oxymoron?

[destiny_key]

A... Oxy-what? What's that?

[pipers_son]

Somethin’ that contradicts itself. Like an honest lawyer.

[Joker, he’s a kid, he’s not going to know “lawyers are scum” jokes]

[destiny_key]

[Sora frowns, and crosses his arms, uncrosses them, and them crosses them again, thinking.]

...I don't get it.

[pipers_son]

Ya will when yer older, don’t worry about it.

[Joker…]

Anyway, seems like yer used ta this. Said it happened before, yeah?

[destiny_key]

Yup! A couple of times, actually. It's always harder to fight underwater, though.

[pipers_son]

I can imagine… But let’s hope we don’t have ta deal with that kinda thing, right? I think we could all use a nice vacation, much as we can have one while we’re on the clock.

[The Matrix was not a fun time.]

[destiny_key]

Yeah... I thought the last one was pretty bad.

[pipers_son]

Well, don’t worry!

[Trying to flop his way to the water, he clasps a hand on Sora’s shoulder.]

That sorta thing rarely happens in the carnival! I’ve worked here for a good couple of years, and that’s definitely not the sorta thing we have ta deal with a lot.

[destiny_key]

Well, that's good. I wouldn't want anyone to get hurt. I can only help so many people at a time.

[pipers_son]

Well, did ya see what the Ringmaster did ta those nuisances?

[destiny_key]

Yeah. She's pretty scary when she's mad. I guess it's a good thing she's on our side.

[pipers_son]

Right, but that means ya don’t have ta worry about any attacks happenin’ for long. It can be pretty strange, ha, ta put it lightly, but it can be safe so long as yer careful.