⇨ GAME START INTRO LOG!

[ringleaders]

Who: EVERYONE!
When: NOW!
Where: Around the carnival grounds, and in the Cookhouse.
What: Carnival worker orientation, Ringmaster style.
Warnings: Alcohol consumption, maybe drugs. Other things?

BRAVE NEW WORLD↴ ► THE NEW: It doesn't matter when you entered the tent to discuss your new contract with the Ringmaster, you exit it beneath a blanket of stars. Pointedly alien stars at that - currently the carnival grounds are being treated to a show of shooting stars, and what appear to be unnaturally large and living green moons hanging just a bit too close. The carnival was bustling when you entered, but now it's in the latter stages of being shut down for the night. If you manage to find a clock, it states that it's around 8PM. Workers from during the day will be passing through the grounds, attending to various pieces of business. None of them will seem very surprised or concerned by the goings on, though some may be sympathetic enough to pause and answer your questions. If you put some effort into finding out how it became nighttime, you may discover that it's been anywhere from a few hours to 7 days since you originally signed your contract. Someone may explain to you that it was probably some kind of time bubble, meant to keep you out of the way until the Ringmaster had time to deal with you. Every few minutes another new person will pop out of the tent, looking just as confused and under the impression that they had only just finished discussing things with the Ringmaster. Weird. She passed you a note before you left. Opening it up, you'll see you've been assigned a trailer number, and been given the instructions to drop off any excess belongings and do what you can to get settled in. You have until exactly 9:36PM to do so, because that's when you'll be expected to attend what is listed only as "WORKER'S ORIENTATION". This is, perhaps, more abrupt than you were expecting - but what can you do? You're here for the long haul. ► THE OLD: If you've ever seen a mass recruitment before, then this is no surprise. People enter the tent when they're recruited, and then sometimes how up again days later when the Ringmaster is ready for them. She isn't a big fan of wasting her time on individual orientations when she's expecting a crowd. Maybe you're too jaded to all of this to care much, but you'll see the newbies wandering around, probably confused and maybe a bit lost. Maybe you're the kind whose is sympathetic enough to pause your role in clean up and give them some directions, and maybe a word of confidence. Maybe you'll just jeer at them, because you're some kind of asshole. Either way, you expect you'll have the chance to see them later tonight. Whether by world of mouth, radio, or written note, supervisors will be passing out the following message: all workers are to report to the Cookhouse at 9:36PM sharp for "orientation." If you are at all familiar with how things go around here, you probably have a good idea of what this implies. Mandatory Karaoke Night. MANDATORY KARAOKE NIGHT!!!↴ At 9:36PM, the main dining hall of the Cookhouse will be found heavily decorator with various coloured lights and at least one disco ball made of what is ostensibly high karat gems. There are a bunch of cushions and additional seating set up along with the usual tables, and at the head of the call there is a state set up - a karaoke stage. For veteran workers, this is no surprise. Karaoke nights are fairly frequent as activities go, even if they are not usually mandatory. Some of you probably have signature songs already prepared. The karaoke machine is set up with mostly karaoke tracks that would be popular in the 90's and 00's on the average modern earth, with a few that are more recent. It also has some other random stuff from other worlds that people rarely sing because they are confusing and in languages no one understands. Here is a big karaoke list for your inspiration! The more stereotypically karaoke the better. Beyond that, there is plenty of food and snacks that were prepared by the cooks earlier, as well as a bar set up for alcohol and other vices. The selection is, as most things in the carnival, eclectic. Music will be played in between if nobody is singing, and otherwise veterans are encouraged to bring along their own fun and show the newbies a good time. The Ringmaster does ask that vets attempt to be courteous to their new coworkers. It's just being a good host.

Comments

[respired]

[ Childermass's reaction rankles him, but only slightly. He's used to it, after all. Most people in Azeroth disdain death knights at best. At worst, they scream in terror and call for an immediate execution. Anything in between is just another Tuesday for him.

His ears fold back as he holds out the paper. 'Supervisor #6.' ]

I want to know where this is.

[atouts]

[ He has no plans at doing the worst, at least. He only needs some space, which makes it a little troublesome to see what the paper says, but not too much. ]

Where the supervisors live? [ That brings him back up to eyeing Koltira. Strange enough to be a supervisor? To Childermass, yes, but if he were one, wouldn't he already know? ] You have gone the wrong way. The trailers are behind the carnival, the ones where they live even further behind those.

[respired]

Hmnh. Troublesome.

[ He glances 'round. Behind the carnival ... it doesn't hold much meaning to him. He does not yet have the lay of the land. ]

I would ask that you direct me, but you seem liable to bolt.

[ He takes a step forward. ]

Are you afraid?

[atouts]

[ The way he tenses when that step is taken, it does look as though he might bolt!

But he won't. Part of it is he doesn't actually care to be seen as afraid, not when this is only some lost... well, he's not sure what, actually. A lost person, then, asking directions. The other part, he imagines he'd only run into something and fall over if he made a break for it.

Still, he can't hide his grimace when Koltira steps closer. ]

No. Fear is not the problem. [ Maybe he can suffer through it. It's worth a shot. ] I can take you that way, but I must ask you to keep some distance.

[respired]

[ Koltira inclines his head to one side. ]

Oh? Do I disgust you so?

[ There is some magic in this man, Koltira can tell. But he's listening more intently for something else, his long ears perked forward. A quickened pulse; an anxious heartbeat. Something to suggest the truth of the situation, if fear is not the answer.

Perhaps it is simply revulsion. That, too, is nothing new. ]

[atouts]

[ A quickened pulse is there, it's true, but it has less to do with his initial surge of dread than it does the ongoing dizziness. Illness, perhaps, if there is any difference between that and terror. ]

I do not know who or what you are. Should you disgust me? [ A question he'll immediately wave off after asking, shaking his head. It does not matter. ] The magic on you, about you, it is too much. If you want to get anywhere without me keeling over halfway there, please, step back.

[respired]

Sin'dorei, once.

[ He taps beneath his glowing eye. ]

Death knight, now.

[ Probably not illuminating terms to someone outside of Azeroth. In any case, he obeys, stepping back a few paces. ]

Are you sickened by all magic?

[atouts]

[ Sin'dorei, death knight, two more notes to add once he finally has a chance to sit down and write. Death knight makes sense, that matches the feeling, along with the armor. ]

Not all, no, but yours is... [ Vicious. It isn't a diplomatic way of putting it, however, so after a pause, he'll go with, ] Unanticipated. Though I think it will pass, given time.

[ Or so he can hope. Otherwise, he's in for a very bad time spanning the whole year and a day. ]

[respired]

Do not be afraid to put too fine a point on it.

[ He sneers. ]

The magic that binds me is vile. Foul and corrupt, born of darkness. Sustained by blood.

[ He folds his arms over his chest. ]

Show me the way. I will keep my distance.

[atouts]

As you say. [ Well, he sure isn't going to disagree. It is all that and as it looks like he won't throw a fit over it, ] I would have called it cruel, but it is certainly all the rest.

[ With that, Childermass will turn slightly and sweep an arm out in the direction Koltira should have been going from the start, to get where he wants, as indication, then follows through to start walking that way himself. With the death knight staying at some distance, it should at least go uneventfully. ]

So it is not your own magic?

[ The term "binds" kind of gives it away. ]

[respired]

Another fine term.

[ He has to consciously pace himself--he is a tall man, and he takes long, loping strides. But he is disciplined, too, and so he keeps himself back. ]

It is the curse of undeath. Forced upon me many years ago.

[atouts]

It reminds me of another I once encountered, if only a little...

[ But it's definitely not the same. Still, it's enough of a reminder to keep him walking at a safe speed ahead of Koltira. ]

Though that was not something I would call true undeath.

[respired]

[ Koltira trails after Childermass, his long ears perked forward so that he can maintain distance and earshot at once. ]

No? What was untrue about it?

[atouts]

She was alive when brought back, truly, but the magic used to make it so was just as cruel. It was not English magic, not even the magic of a mortal man. She only ever suffered from what followed, up until the end.

[ As did everyone unfortunate enough to be around her or get stuck in the crossfire, though he won't add that. By now, a few turns here and there through the carnival, they'll be passing the Big Top.

Beyond that, they'll soon see the first trailers. ]