⇨ FOURTH WALL EVENT! (OPEN TO ALL)

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone and the 4th Wall Visitors!
When: Day 175
Where: Heartstone Manor
What: THE 4TH WALL BALL BEGINS! This is where unapped visitors can post and roleplay. Please read the rules and setting info below. For more information and visuals refs, read this. Questions can be asked over here.
Warnings: Individually marked! Could be a lot of things.

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.

Comments

B

[dontpokethat]

Ginko is, frankly, feeling a little sick at all this.

It started pretty quickly, as he came to realize that time must have passed, but he couldn't remember what happened in the interim. He should remember - how could he have forgotten?

What made him forget?

That low note of panic, keep in his chest, has only grown and risen as the night has gone on. All he can think to do about it is to look for the others, but even with that, he has to be careful, he can't make a scene, not under the circumstances--

When he catches sight of red hair and antlers on the balcony, he gets about as close to running as he's willing to under the scrutiny of the servants. He reaches the railing just as Joker hops onto it, nearly running into it in his haste. "--Joker! There you are."

[pipers_son]

The sudden footsteps and Ginko nearly slamming into the railing has Joker jerk back and upwards, his wings flapping rapidly to both get him upright and airborn. But then his brain recognizes that white hair, those antlers, and his feet settle lightly against the railing again.

"Christ," he breathes. "Give me a heart attack, Ginko."

Don't mind that bit of stone on his face. It's fine. He's fine.

[dontpokethat]

"Sorry. I just--" He pauses, tilts his head a little, trying to get a better look at Joker's face. "--What's that?"

[pipers_son]

"What's-" Oh. With his hand a bit jerky, Joker touches at it. Well. That's sure a worse thing than he thought it was. Actually, he has to admit he wasn't really paying attention. "It's. Ah. Stone, I suppose."

Reassuring, right?

[dontpokethat]

No that's... the OPPOSITE of reassuring actually.

"What?" Ginko tries to lean up to see better, but, uh, there's only so far he can go. He's trying, though. "How did that-- let me see, what happened?"

[pipers_son]

Ginko, he can't get down if you're right in his- knees. He guesses. Still, he flaps a little bit as he hops down further, allowing Ginko to get a look at it. It's like a scab, but if blood turned to stone instead. Which, to be fair, is exactly what happened.

"Sans stabbed at me," he says simply, not sounding as alarmed about this as he probably should be. "I didn't stop laughin' soon enough for him."

[dontpokethat]

The moment Joker is actually at eye level, Ginko sets a hand on his jaw - gently, not grabbing too hard - and tilts his head to get a better look at the section of stone. He presses at the skin under it carefully with his other hand, testing the depth of the petrification; at least Joker can still talk, so it's better than it could be.

He pauses to stare at Joker when he hears that, though he doesn't actually move his hands. "He did what? What the hell is going on?"

[pipers_son]

This won't be the first time he's manhandled tonight, but it's still a surprise coming from Ginko of all people. (Although it shouldn't be, considering this is the same man who hauled him bodily out of a tree.) Joker blinks a little bit and lets him, wings folding in on themselves again although twitching.

"Celebration," is the first thing that comes out of his mouth, followed by that same mouth twisting a little. With their talk in the garden, Ginko can probably recognize it as Joker keeping himself from making a far worse (and more honest) expression. "No one's right in the head."

[dontpokethat]

Shit. That... would make sense, actually. Something has clearly been done to all of them - why else wouldn't he be able to remember the last day? Maybe he should be glad, given what's been going on, that Sans isn't dead.

...Okay, he is glad for that, of course, but this is still pretty worrying.

He finally releases Joker's jaw, pulling at the lace on his sleeves instead as he thinks. "Did he... look any different?" He remembers Portland, and the whole mess with the Rose Queen. He was told there was a flower in his eye. Maybe something like that would be evident in Sans. "How was he acting?"

[pipers_son]

"Well, he was a bit of an arsehole," Joker says a bit bluntly, and his mouth jerks a little bit in a smile that doesn't settle quite right. "So there was that."

But no, no- serious. Serious instead of playing things off as jokes. As uneasy as it still makes Joker in a lot of ways, Ginko has already seen him with the mask off. He can manage this. Taking a breath, he thinks.

"His tail's different. Got a stinger on the end, like a scorpion. And he's carryin' a sword- which is ridiculous as all hell. He does bleedin' magic, he's never been a swordsman."

[dontpokethat]

Ginko gives him a bit of a look, but at least Joker goes on to giving actual information on his own instead of having to be pushed. His brow furrows at the description, and he flexes the fingers of one hand compulsively as he thinks.

"A sword and a stinger... which did he get you with?"

[pipers_son]

"Sword." A dry smile. "I don't think he was tail enough for the tail ta happen." It's not much of a funny joke, but, then, a lot of jokes Joker makes aren't really that funny. Sometimes, one just has to talk or laugh or god knows what will happen.

"It'd be nice if Zecora could fix it, after all this is over..."

[dontpokethat]

"Shit..." He pushes a hand through his hair, looking away for a moment. It's pretty hard to imagine Sans wielding a sword, ever, honestly.

"Does Zecora know yet? ...Or did you just come right out here?"

He would not be at all surprised if it was the latter.

[pipers_son]

Joker can promise that he can imagine it very well, now.

The answer to Ginko's question is there even before Joker gets the words out of himself, grimacing slightly and not sure if he can give the right lie out now. "Ah.... Just wanted ta get some fresh air, first."

And have a lowkey breakdown, it's. Fine.

[dontpokethat]

Of course he didn't go to Zecora. Ginko scowls at Joker and leans forward again, taking another look at the stone patch, as if making sure it hasn't spread or anything - which is exactly what he's doing.

"Well, make sure you talk to her soon, alright? You don't know what might be happening here; for all you know, that might keep spreading, or move deeper into your cheek, or... who knows what, really."

[pipers_son]

The good news is that the stone hasn't spread much, at least as much as can be discerned. Joker lets him inspect it to his hearts content. If that helps calm Ginko down at all, well, he'll deal with it.

Still doesn't stop him from muttering, "Yes, mum."

[dontpokethat]

Ginko straightens up again, frowning, and swats Joker's shoulder lightly. "Don't give me that. You know you'd be doing the same if it were me."

[pipers_son]

"Well, we told ya I was a hypocrite, didn't we?" Joker grins a little, although it's still stretched too thin and far too jittery. "So do I check all right for the time bein'?"

[dontpokethat]

"...Close enough to all right." He steps back and sighs, pushing his fingers through his hair. "But I am going to make sure you get looked at properly when this is all over, got it?"

[pipers_son]

"Don't worry, ya won't be the only one." With a flap of his wings, he goes back to balancing on the railing. "Are ya- what are ya goin' ta do now, then?"

[dontpokethat]

"Try and find Psi, probably. Look out for the others as well as I can." It's all he can think of to do - there's no real action he can take here, no way to actually help the others that would be feasible in these circumstances. So he can just... try and keep an eye out.

[pipers_son]

"Yeah... Yeah, s'a good idea." It takes him a moment before Joker reaches out to gently light the tips of his fingers onto Ginko's shoulder. "The two of ya stay safe, alright? No nonsense until folks are all together." That's all he can think to do, too.... Right now, anyway, with his mind still in pieces and all jittering.

[dontpokethat]

Ginko hesitates for a moment, unsure once again of how to react. He finally lifts a hand, and rests it lightly on Joker's for a moment before dropping it back by his side. That... might count as an appropriate response? Yeah.

"Right. Knowing him, he's probably out looking for people, too." And probably also freaking out. Just another reason to find him as soon as possible.

[pipers_son]

You didn't have to touch him at all, Ginko, but Joker appreciates the effort. Letting his own hand fall as well, Joker lets out a slow breath. "Yeah, probably. Keep him safe, now."

And with that, Joker finally takes off, although at least he doesn't fly off too far. Just to a perch right over the opening... Somewhere he can catch his breath.

Somewhere he can pull the pieces of himself back together before anything can be taken advantage of.