⇨ 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

[atouts]

That earns her a curious look and a raised eyebrow. That would do? That would do for what?

"That would depend on what you consider socially competent, madam," he replies. He's sure human and fairy standards are going to be different. "Though I have dealt with more than enough people, usually without causing any great offense."

Not any great offense they could reasonably call him out on, at least.

[lordofthering]

"Hmm hmm," she says, considering his response as if it actually has a great deal of value. She taps her chin with a claw. "Alright - on a scale of 1 to 10... how likely is it that you would accidentally anger a kingdom's royalty to execute you and your allies? One being very low chance, and ten being a very high chance.

[atouts]

And for his own part, he'll actually take a moment to consider the question seriously.

"A two. I've yet to get myself or anyone I know executed by any lord, lady, or gentleman I've met," he'll answer eventually. Sure, Lady Pole did shoot him that one time, but she wasn't even after him. Doesn't count. "But I wouldn't rule out the possibility entirely."

But after a question like that, it's his turn, and he'll add with a curious raise of his eyebrows, "Is that something that's actually happened or...?"

[lordofthering]

"Of course!" she says, like its ridiculous to assume otherwise. "I don't believe anyone actually died as a result, though... not on our side, anyway!"

She grins at him, as if this is a great testament to her awesomeness.

[atouts]

"Ah," is his first reaction to that. It isn't a very shocked one, either. He had a feeling that hadn't been purely theoretical. "Well, I suppose that is what matters most in the end, isn't it?"

[lordofthering]

"Naturally - as history goes, I always come out on top in the end!" In her opinion, anyway. Recent events may have one in doubt of that comment's truth. Maybe she's just trying to cheer herself up.

"Are you interested in attending a diplomatic mission, then?" she asks.

[atouts]

Recent events and that thing about the vampires, he would imagine, but both are also topics he sure as hell isn't about to bring up. Especially not when she's giant and also kind of a sea serpent.

"A diplomatic mission?" He tilts his head to one side slightly, again taking a few seconds to consider it. "To the king?"

[lordofthering]

"Precisely! You know how it is... hands to shake, promises to make, and all. I was hoping bringing along some of my own might distract him from me - he can be a bit too critical for my tastes."

She waves that off like it's not ominous at all.

[atouts]

That sure sounds a lot like 'go and deal with the annoying people for me', but the Ringmaster surely isn't anything like Mr. Norrell... Right?

"Well. Distracting from someone such as yourself seems like quite the task." Childermass may as well try and learn what he can now, while he can, though, before actually agreeing to anything. "Is he a severe man, then? The king?"

[lordofthering]

"Oh yes," she says, as if being given the opportunity to enter a Stitch n' Bitch circle on the subject. "Severe, and incredibly boring. He is akin to distant family of my own, I suppose. He tolerates me because his people enjoy what I bring to their boring little city."

[atouts]

"And if you could avoid meeting with him at all, you would," Childermass surmises. "I've survived 'incredibly boring' before. I should be able to do it again if that's what you need."

[lordofthering]

"I would drop this meeting in a hot second," she says, rolling her eyes. "He certainly isn't the reason I chose this particular spot. And so... you helping to alleviate the burden would be most helpful."

[atouts]

"It can't have been for the nosy company, either," Childermass adds, although in that bias he may be all on his own. "But of course. I'll be happy to help however I can."

[lordofthering]

"Well, that's that, then!" she decides, and goes to lift him up in her hand and plop him down on the back of her serpentine body. "We'll be heading to the city shortly! Hold on."