THE GRAND BALL↴
Heartstone Manor is a giant, spooky castle floating in the middle of a twilight filled void. It is the home of a Wyld Fae calling himself The Prince - and despite his name, he is a bestial creature crammed into a gentleman's clothing, completely obsessed with replicating the ideals of old timey human society, much like the 1800's. The Prince and his many servants all dress in a manner appropriate to to the 1500's - 1800's, and decorum and beauty are held sacred above all else. All the workers of the carnival are currently staying there, in the hope of enabling a successful diplomatic venture between the Ringmaster and the Prince. The Grand Ball is being thrown by the Prince to honour these guests, but his manner of doing this is going to come as a bit of a surprise.
THE RULES↴
- Powers are all partially nerfed for 4th Wallers. They can be used in small to moderate ways for the sake of RP and narrative flavour, but 4th Wallers shouldn’t generally be using any powers in a super disruptive manner. No using powers for fighting with NPCs (yet), causing general chaos, or otherwise making your character a burden to the Prince. If they try, they’ll find themselves unable to do so.
- Your character isn’t sure how they got here but they think they’re okay with it. Your character won’t remember how they were captured by the Prince at the start of the ball. They’re just kind of here and in formal wear, and something tells them it’s probably fine to just enjoy the ball. They are wrong.
- In-game characters won’t initially remember how they all ended up at the ball either thanks to a temporary amnesia effect, but they will be able to be concerned about the fact that other people (possibly people they know) have shown up, and the fact that those other people are probably the Prince’s captives. Weren’t they doing something else at the castle before this, though? It’s hard to remember. This is all very confusing.
- 4th Wall character who aren’t apping in were possibly never the real deal in the first place. There are a mixture of genuine captives and spooky replications created with magic – this is to provide some flexibility regarding 4th wall character’s states in game, as well to allow more than one of each character to be played. If there are multiple people playing the same character, then whichever one has an app accepted will have been the real one.
- No doubles of in game characters. (Taken list here.) No AUs, no CRAUs, and nothing else besides characters that have full source canons or are original characters/fandom OCs with no bearing on the canon plot. If you tag in with a character who breaks these rules we reserve the right to remove them.
THE SETUP: 4TH WALLERS↴
- With incredibly foggy memories of their recent past, your character will find themselves at a grand ballroom dance, filled with a mixture of normal humans and odd looking humanoids that have strange features like wings, horns, tails, fur, and the like. They have vague memories of being dressed for the occasion, but are not sure by who or why. Most disturbingly, they will find that, at first at least, they don’t really care about the details. It seems like a pleasant event, doesn’t it? Why not enjoy it.
- This effect is definitely some kind of mind control, so you can feel free to have your characters be a bit confused and conflicted about it. Ultimately, they have been charmed to participate in the dance, so they will feel like riding the wave is the best thing to do even if that wouldn’t normally be their cup of tea. If your character has resistances to some forms of mind control, they are still overruled in this circumstance.
- They may discover people they recognize (castmates) or even duplicates of themselves (somehow?), and these can all be treated as canonly occurring and played out as such. This event is canon for Lost Carnival, so it should be played seriously and respectfully – not that silly shenanigans aren’t also bound to happen.
- All characters are required to dress in formal attire appropriate to a period area – specifically anywhere from the 1500s to 1800s. The Prince prefers if people are heteronormative in their clothing choices, but if you want you can probably get away with your ladies wearing suits or men wearing dresses as long as they look presentable otherwise.
THE SETUP: MANOR GUESTS↴
- You find yourself at the Grand Ball without really remembering how you got here. The last few days are a foggy blur, and though you can remember some of the important stuff you were dealing with, it will feel less important right at the start. Of course, as the night goes on, memories of how the carnival reached this event will become more and more clear – as well as the inevitable worry and stress that comes with it.
- For most people, there will have absolutely no memory of anything that happened after the morning of Day 175. Did the boating trip ever happen? Possibly not. Even as the night progresses, they will still have no recollection of how most of Day 175 went, which is probably disturbing. The Mod has contacted those that are exceptions to this privately to tell them what they will remember.
- The people lost to the Manor’s security earlier in the week will be here too, but not as guests. In fact, all of them will be dressed in the black attire of a Heartstone Manor servant and will seem pretty okay with that fact. There are parts of them that look changed – and their dispositions are definitely one of them. How else could they possibly be working for the Prince now?
- Updates to the event situation will be posted down in this section below. People can react to these posts as the circumstances change, and may new top levels based on them. It is possible to try to sneak away from the ball, but Manor Security will be trying to hunt you down. There is no mandatory outcome planed to this event, so character decisions can and will have a major effect in where the plot goes from here.
THE ACCOMODATIONS↴
- MUSIC AND DANCING: There will be music playing the whole night, and most of it is so good you feel practically compelled to dance to it. It's possible to resist, but why would you want to do that, you party pooper?
- FOOD AND DRINK: There are circle tables set up with fine silverware, and upon sitting down you will soon have a waiter come back to ask for an order. You can request basically any European cusine and it will be made for you. You will also be given drinks, most of which are alcohol, no matter your age. Fae don't care about children.
- BALCONY STARGAZING: There are balconies that are connected to the ballroom in multiple locations that you can step out onto to get some fresh air. You'll see the courtyard of the Manor down below you, but everything beyond that is black, as if the castle is floating within a twilight void. (Because it is.) One small change is that there are stars out tonight, probably added to the sky for the occasion.
- ALL NIGHT LONG: The ball will go on far into the early morning. Or, at least, until everyone fucks it up.
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ringleaders) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
lostcarnival2017-10-13 06:00 pm
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"Of course I've more to say," he murmurs in her ear, not letting go of Arabella. He knows he owes her an explanation about the scales, the eyes, the mirrored scratches on his wrists that his shirtsleeves only barely hide. But he's far too happy to see her to bring that up right away. That will wait a bit. "But why not start with the most important thing first?"
And then they can go to the second most important thing, which is to remind Arabella that he's just so happy to see her, and then the third most important thing which is kisses and then he can address the mirrored elephant in the room. A perfect strategy!
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"They said you joined a carnival," she murmurs, reproachfully. Yes, she can lovingly cling to her husband and scold him for his poor life choices at the same time. "What on earth possessed you to do that?"
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"Before I answer this, I must know: what was the last thing that happened for you back in England or elsewhere?"
He knows about timeline nonsense thanks to Childermass. But if this is a younger Arabella, an Arabella who hasn't yet been taken to faerie...well, Strange believes in keeping things open and not keeping secrets, but he must keep that secret if the opportunity arises.
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"There was a ball, like this one..." She starts off, slowly. It's a struggle to remember, that much is easy to tell. "People were dancing, and then you were there." Luckily for Strange, she doesn't have a clear recollection of his mad hobo self, just the impression of him being there, kissing her, and then--
"You sent me through a mirror!" The indignation, at least, will be enough to make her lean away from him long enough to give him a look that's meant to thoroughly chastise.
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Forget about himself. Forget about what he was doing, he was almost dead anyway thanks to that damn curse. What mattered was saving Arabella and oh he's just so happy that she's already been saved. (However, a nasty thought at the back of his head pipes up, she's here. How safe is she really?)
The memory fog attempts to smooth over that thought before Strange continues talking. "I signed onto the carnival in order to help free you. It helped me more than I could have ever thought."
A technical truth. Granted, the information he joined the carnival for didn't have anything to do with Arabella. But when he joined, his train of thought was learn how Lady Pole was brought back from the dead, cast the spell, save Arabella that way.
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"Your magic's gotten you caught up in something again, hasn't it? I do wish you would stop being so reckless, Jonathan," she sighs. But of course, a wish it will have to remain. As much as Arabella had hoped for a quieter life and a chance to raise a family, it's not a picture Strange fits easily.
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"We both know that I am not the sort of man content with sitting around and making my discoveries only in books," Strange simply remarks, as he pulls her closer towards him. He's keeping his tone gentle, as he looks down at Arabella with a soft smile. So yes, his magic has gotten him caught up in something again. But Strange, at least, seems confident about this.
"Do not worry about me. I have changed, yes, but in some ways, for the better."
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Also, Jonathan telling her not to worry is naturally only going to make her worry more! Arabella spent most of the time he was away worrying about him, he certainly can't tell her to stop now. Strange is probably lucky that he's a bit more cleaned up for the ball, or his mad hobo appearance would have set off endless worrying. There is something about his appearance that she can't help commenting on--
"Not when it comes to dressing yourself, I'm afraid," she'll tease gently, lightly running her fingers along the gaudy embroidery of his coat and smiling. "This color doesn't really flatter you."
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He gives Arabella a smirk of a smile before continuing. "Of course, if it offends you that much, I'll be more than happy to remove every piece the garment later, when we're alone."
Tamaki can go bunk with someone else for the night. He'll understand, right? And, with that little bit of flirting done, Strange leans in and attempts to kiss Arabella. Because he adores his wife and adores this conversation but dammit, he's been looking at her for the past five minutes and hasn't kissed her yet! He might not be able to survive a moment longer!
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Not that she hasn't offered her share of inappropriate commentary before, but you know, even if nobody else is around right now, this is still technically in public! Anyone could walk in on them!
"Jonathan, really -- mm." Of course, another scolding lecture ends up getting cut off by a kiss. There's a fleeting moment of exasperation, a temptation to pull back and tell him not all problems can be solved with his mouth, but for now at least, she'll permit it, one hand coming up to rest on his shoulder.
Eventually, though, she is going to pull back a little, smiling, to glance over her shoulder.
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"You needn't worry," Strange adds in, with a smile of his own. "I guarantee you that everybody here is looking at someone else over us."
After all, whether it's one of the more animalistic members of the carnival or their fae hosts themselves, there's plenty of other people to look at instead of the soppy human(ish) couple.
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"Besides--" And this time, it's her turn to offer him a look, eyes half-lid. "It's unbecoming of a gentleman to start something he can't finish."
It's a great thing there isn't anyone else around to see this display of gross and married, because it's super gross and married.
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Of course, this is after they're bored of the ball. There's something in Strange's mind that makes him want to keep dancing, makes him want to continue. Why would he be bored of the ball in the first place?
"Until then, I think I can remain content with talking, dancing, and simply being with you—as long as there's occasional kisses, of course."
And yep, he's going in for another smooch, stop being so shameless, Jonathan Strange.
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She'll let him have a good five seconds or so of that before she places a hand to his chest and gently nudges him back, smiling and knowing that she shouldn't be encouraging this, but ... she doesn't know a single other soul here, it feels like!
"Where all the other dancers can see?" she teases, gently. "Don't you think there are enough rumors about you already?"
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"Truth be told, I'd rather the rumors be these instead of the normal rumors that cling to me both here and back home."
Because he knows of those rumors spread back home, even if Arabella might not. Strange was mad. Strange killed his wife. Strange summoned the tower himself, deliberately to attack Norrell. And he knows what people must whisper about him in the carnival, or what they might think about him. The man's dangerous, he's summoned how many fae now? He can't keep out of trouble. Just how much of the Portland Strange is the real Strange?
Strange isn't the sort of man to put any stock in what others think about him. But it would be nice if one of those rumors could just be replaced by something like 'he's a sap' or 'he loves his wife way too much.' (It doesn't occur to Strange that people already think he's a sap who won't shut up about his wife.)
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Smiling wryly, Arabella reaches down to set her hand over Strange's, shaking her head and searching his (odd, changed, but still his) face while her fingers curiously feel out the shape of his claws.
"If you had stayed in Shropshire and never become the king's magician, you wouldn't be a subject of rumor to begin with." Of course, there were plenty enough rumors about young master Strange to begin with -- country folk gossip just as much as any court -- but at least those would be kept to ordinary things! She dislikes it, how freely people can speak of him and how some assume a kinship they don't have (like that toad, Drawlight) merely because of moving in the same circles, but all the same...
"I can't imagine what they'd say about you joining a carnival," she sighs, leaning against his chest. It's funny, now that she's thinking about it -- it feels like it's been a dreadfully long time since they could be together like this, in public but not the center of attention.
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And at Arabella's question, Strange frowns slightly. Because it's not just a carnival, is it: it's a faerie carnival. And she needs to know. If he doesn't tell her, then some other soul will mention the faerie bit and there'll just be another argument between the two of them. A problem, as Strange desperately wants to dance and be with Arabella and just not think. Arguments require thinking, words volleying back and forth like a game of badminton.
"Oh, I dare say they'd call me irresponsible, mad, someone who never thought things through, not respectable, the usual." As Arabella leans against his chest, Strange reaches his arms around her, to pull her closer towards him. "The thing is, I don't really care what they'd say—only what you'd think."