ringleaders: (Default)
Lost Carnival Mods ([personal profile] ringleaders) wrote in [community profile] lostcarnival2017-10-13 06:00 pm

⇨ FOURTH WALL EVENT! (OPEN TO ALL)

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.
wild_magic: (14)

[personal profile] wild_magic 2017-10-20 04:24 am (UTC)(link)
"Um... She didn't say. Only that, she broke the rules, so now she belongs to him instead of the Ringmaster. And that she has to stay with him, but that she's okay with it because he's stronger than everyone." He's a little confused by it all, honestly, but it's what she said. It takes him a second to continue.

"She's really scared though. You can tell if you just look at her. She said, if she doesn't listen she gets hurt... That she's only alive because she's doing what he says."
mylastchance: (⚡ Thunderstorms)

[personal profile] mylastchance 2017-10-20 04:27 am (UTC)(link)
He looks around, confusion and concern suddenly switching to the same agitation Susan showed earlier.

"Where is she?"
wild_magic: (11)

[personal profile] wild_magic 2017-10-20 04:29 am (UTC)(link)
"Um..." He looks around to see if he can spot her.

"She's helping out now. She's taking care of dishes. If we just wait she'll have to come back for more." Hopefully at least. Hopefully he hasn't scared her away or something.

"I don't know what to do though! Talking wasn't enough."
mylastchance: (❄ 046)

[personal profile] mylastchance 2017-10-20 04:31 am (UTC)(link)
He sighs, and then takes another bite of his food. If she's clearing dishes then maybe finishing this will somehow bring her to them.

"Did the Prince tell her directly she didn't belong to the Ringmaster anymore?"
wild_magic: (6)

[personal profile] wild_magic 2017-10-20 04:33 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm not sure... She didn't say. Only that since she broke the rules, that's what happened. And that she has to listen to his orders now."
mylastchance: (pic#11037371)

[personal profile] mylastchance 2017-10-20 04:35 am (UTC)(link)
He closes his eyes, of course Susan wouldn't ask for any of the details.

"We have to know the specifics if we're going to help."
wild_magic: (33)

[personal profile] wild_magic 2017-10-20 04:37 am (UTC)(link)
"I know we do, I tried to get them. She just kept saying she has to, that he's strong, that she can't. I couldn't get anything else... I tried really hard!"
mylastchance: (🍃 025)

[personal profile] mylastchance 2017-10-20 04:41 am (UTC)(link)
"Well what do you think we should do then? You were the one who saw her. What's your plan?"
wild_magic: (38)

[personal profile] wild_magic 2017-10-20 04:45 am (UTC)(link)
"My plan..." He didn't really have one, is the problem.

"I don't know... That's why I came to you. All I can think of is using some kind of magic. Like, I can charm her, or turn her into an animal? Then we can talk to her, or... I don't know. I don't know how to make her listen, or, maybe there's something else. Do we just have to kill the Prince?" He knows he's kind of rambling, but he really doesn't know, and he wants to fix this.

[personal profile] mylastchance 2017-10-20 09:42 pm (UTC)(link)
He glances around subtly, trying to see where the guards are and how attentive they might be.

"Do you think charming her would work?" he asks, growing a bit nervous.
wild_magic: (30)

[personal profile] wild_magic 2017-10-20 09:46 pm (UTC)(link)
"I don't know. It might, but, it's not like I can make her do anything that way, just make her listen to me better. So I guess, it could work, but it might also go wrong. It depends on her."
mylastchance: (☔ Sudden Rain)

[personal profile] mylastchance 2017-10-20 09:57 pm (UTC)(link)
"And the only other thing you can think of is turning her into a mouse?"

Admittedly Lauren can't really think of anything else to do either, but come on. The probably had some kind of magic detection going on in here as well. It's likely as soon as they cast anything someone will be on their way to investigate the source. Even if they convinced her to leave it's not like they had anyway to hide her afterwards.

"Do you think the Prince could find her if we did that?"
Edited 2017-10-20 21:58 (UTC)
wild_magic: (6)

[personal profile] wild_magic 2017-10-20 10:08 pm (UTC)(link)
"...I don't know. Maybe. None of my other magic is useful for things like this, only fighting." He thinks another moment before looking to Lauren.

"You don't know any other spells, right? That could help with... Convincing her, or whatever."
mylastchance: (☔ Light Showers)

[personal profile] mylastchance 2017-10-20 10:13 pm (UTC)(link)
"I don't like using spells like that."

Of course he knew various spells for controlling animals or getting information from people, but he rarely if ever had them prepared.

"Even if I had prepared them I can't remember what I did this morning."
wild_magic: (30)

[personal profile] wild_magic 2017-10-20 10:17 pm (UTC)(link)
"So only polymorph then. Unless you saw any trees around."

[personal profile] mylastchance 2017-10-20 10:38 pm (UTC)(link)

He shrugs, honestly feeling a bit frustrated because yes, there wasn't a lot he could do magically if he wasn't outside.

"I could try divining a solution, but that hasn't worked since we left faerun."

wild_magic: (11)

[personal profile] wild_magic 2017-10-20 10:42 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well... We'll figure it out! Maybe we can all turn into animals and then no one will know what's happening. And then we can grab her and talk to her!"

[personal profile] mylastchance 2017-10-20 10:56 pm (UTC)(link)
He takes a long breath in and then a long breath out.

"If she's scared than she shouldn't stay here, right? We don't need to talk more. We need to help her escape." He looks to Susan, seeing if they are on the same page so far.

"The problem is... We're stuck here too. There's no safe place we can bring her."
wild_magic: (25)

[personal profile] wild_magic 2017-10-20 11:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Susan nods slowly as he thinks about that. It does make sense, he just hates to not get more answers... But Lauren is right.

"Then maybe we should turn really small and follow when she leaves the room. Then we can find a safe place?" He knows it's probably a terrible idea, but still.
mylastchance: (🍃 Drafty)

[personal profile] mylastchance 2017-10-21 04:28 am (UTC)(link)
Leaves the room? It takes him a few seconds to put the pieces together. Of course, the servants had to have some way of leaving. He was eating food right now, but where had it been cooked? There had to be rooms beyond here that they didn't even know of. Of course being small was slightly dangerous in and of itself, but if no one paid them any mind they just might be able to see what was happening behind the scenes. Even if they didn't find any safe place to hide Reira they could find out something, and if they didn't they'd just need to follow her back into the main room.

"...That could work." He still worried as soon as they cast anything someone would come looking, but one of them could serve as a distraction if need be.

"But... If we do this you have to promise not to do anything reckless."
wild_magic: (12)

[personal profile] wild_magic 2017-10-21 04:31 am (UTC)(link)
He's a little surprised when Lauren actually agrees, although he gives him a smile at that comment.

"Isn't this whole plan reckless?"
mylastchance: (⚡ Thunder)

[personal profile] mylastchance 2017-10-21 04:38 am (UTC)(link)
He just gives Susan a look.

"This is the least dangerous idea you've had in months."
Edited 2017-10-21 04:39 (UTC)
wild_magic: (9)

[personal profile] wild_magic 2017-10-21 04:40 am (UTC)(link)
He makes a face at that.

"That's not true. I've had way safer ideas."
mylastchance: (☁ 030)

[personal profile] mylastchance 2017-10-21 04:45 am (UTC)(link)
Lauren ignores that, thinking over what they've said and decided. It seemed risky and with a seriously low chance of netting them any useful info. Still it wasn't technically against the rules to follow someone, so maybe they wouldn't really get in trouble for it? It's hard to say, but if Reira really was scared and might have to stay here, he did want to help her and this seemed like the only thing they could do that might give them even a little bit of info.

"Should we look for her?"
wild_magic: (1)

[personal profile] wild_magic 2017-10-21 04:48 am (UTC)(link)
He nods after thinking it over a moment.

"Yeah. Let's do it."