⇨ WISMUTH

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: S2:D6-D11
Where: Wismuth and the Carnival Grounds
What: The carnival enjoys a few days in Wismuth, a coastal city on this planet's version of the American east. However, there are a few things very unique about this version of the planet...
Warnings: The usual, wholesome fun.

PILLAR OF CREATION↴ Upon arriving, things in Wismuth will seem pretty peaceful. It's a massive city, with no shortage of things going on, but things like violent crime and homelessness are at an all time low. You can wander the streets without much scrutiny, presumed to just be tourists, and most people here come across as helpful and friendly. ► VIBRANCY: The main thing that sets this planet apart is its vibrancy - AKA, the raw creative energy its filled with, flowing from its status as a Pillar of Creation. There is no literal pillar, but Wismuth and its planet is a place where Creation's energy comes through strongest. As a result, everything here feels somehow more real, more intense in a way that's hard to put a finger on. Life is abundant, and its bleeds through in every sensation. ► ATTRACTIONS: There are plenty of things to see while going around the city. First and foremost, there is a lovely beach area bordering the ocean, and a number of tourist aimed attractions built around it. There are giant malls, movie theaters, live stage performances, museums and all kinds of other points of cultural interest. Anything you can do in a big city you can do here, but better. ► ALLOWANCES: The Ringmaster will be giving everyone a reasonable amount of local currency for a few days on the town. You can't make any massive acquisitions with it, but it's more than enough to eat out, see some shows, go to the beach, and whatever you like. You can feel free to pick up some casual supplies, like mundane clothing and souvenirs. There will be more given out later, after the performance week. ► PERFORMANCE: Performance week is starting early this time, after only a couple days of exploration. When the carnival has already been on vacation for a month, the Ringmaster figures they may as well get right to it, and then do more touring afterwards. Members of the local populace will find themselves in the carnival once performances begin, dazzled by the other worldly sights. Magic doesn't seem to exist here, despite the fact that it will flow easier for people bringing it from other worlds.

Comments

[espigeon]

He wasn't serious. Julien grins, his palps spreading to better show the expression. "The glamour! The solidarity! Oh well, there's other ways to take advantage of a four-for-two deal."

There's not a four for two deal either, Julien's just teasing.

"Mmm, yeah, not now." The shop isn't crowded, but there's someone in the back grimacing as an artist tattoos elaborate skull patterns on his chest. "Well, you could always just try painting on yourself or sticking like press on jewels on your skin? It's not a decision to be made casually. I will say that piercings aren't usually the commitment tattoos are, you just take them out if you don't want them anymore and you can barely tell."

[insidescoop]

Stop this madness and tom-foolery, Julien-!!

But as it is. "I guess the marks I already have from changes are sort of the same too...it'd be tricky to work with those..." Shoot!

"Ah....not to mention the light..." Yes that's an Issue.

[espigeon]

"Not impossible, though! They'd dim or eclipse the light in some interesting ways, I'd think. Try out some temporary stuff! Also, just in general body painting's a thing. It can be a lot of fun." He takes a step back and forms spectral eyes an arm's length further away from her, looking under the glamor.

Julien would find Carly a lot weirder looking if not for Portland. After that it's hard for things to really register as strange. "Hmm, yeah. You should try out some henna patterns... that'd really be something."

[fortuneglass]

"You think so..? It feels almost like there's nothing to put ink on in those spots..." Temporary or otherwise, for that matter. She certainly does give off a more...Angelic 'aesthetic' now that she's ditched that shadow demon stuff though.

"Henna?"

[espigeon]

Yup. It's easier to look her in the eye when he's a little bit further from her breasts. He has been making eye contact, very steadily, just brief glances to hair or to the side so he's not fixedly staring. Not being creepy is important to Julien, even if he did just joke about nipple piercings.

"Well, maybe they wouldn't take or maybe they would. Tattoos are just injecting ink into a layer of skin so if you don't have any, I don't know how that'd work. But if you're solid, paint could still be a thing. And henna's just this dye that stains on skin. If you do it right and you're careful it can last for weeks..."

He sighs happily, remembering. "You'll see people with the most beautiful patterns drawn on their hands and feet. Once I took a summer job at a ren faire painting people with henna, mostly kids. Lots of Spider-Man. Uh, he's a pop culture figure with a costume that's got an intricate pattern of lines."

[insidescoop]

"Mnnnhhh.... ....you say that but..." As she ponders it and considers it, she sighs. "...I'd still need someone to apply it....that definitely won't be something we always have access to..."

[espigeon]

Julien turns a couple of pages over in one of the flash books demonstrating the skill of one of the parlor's artists, looking over the examples with a spectral eye hovering a couple feet above the pages rather than the eyes set into his face. He's good at multitasking.

"I do say it! I could do it," he offers brightly. "I'm not a bad hand with those delicate patterns and I wouldn't mind if they don't last even as long as usual. Henna's a fleeting art. In the long run it's not any more permanent than face paint." And after Portland, after being something as old as human civilization, he's got a bit more perspective on the long run. The idea from his world that any immortal divine presence would take exception to people modifying their bodies is more laughable the longer he's been with the Carnival. "And I could buy some right here. It's not like one of the synthetic dyes, it's something super old. People used to use it to dye hair red."

[fortuneglass]

"Eh, you could?" There's a blank blink, and a stare, before it properly sinks in.

At which point she looks ready to go teary eyed with excited relief. "You...You could!? Oh.... ...O-Only if it wouldn't take too much of your time, of course! I should probably do something in return you know, this would take a while to apply wouldn't it...?"

[espigeon]

He laughs. "I could! That stuff is fun, honestly. If performance weeks weren't so busy I'd kinda wish we could paint stuff on guests. Guess I could do it with my beak. I mean, assuming there's a stall or something to prevent them from climbing on me."

It's happened several times on this stop and he's not quite optimistic enough to think it won't happen again. "Well, something to keep in mind! I don't need a favor, though."

[fortuneglass]

"Mmmh...yeah, even our down time isn't really down time, when you think about it..." She blinks, as the rest of that statement sinks in though- "AHH!! C-Climbin- People were climbing on you..!? Again!?" That's so rude! And so upsetting! And-

"...You get one anyway." So there.

[espigeon]

"Oh, yeah, there's been a lot of them. Couple people recurring, mostly new... I'm dodging them right now. Apparently Wismuthites find me irresistible," he says, quirking his eyebrows, then smiling and rolling his eyes. Julien's been getting better at not getting cornered, though he refuses to not walk in public in order to avoid them. He's not afraid of people who want to pet him, he just wants to keep moving and not get swarmed.

Julien makes a mildly rude noise and flicks a palp her way. "If you insist! One favor upcoming, of roughly equal value to spending a comfortable hour or two painting intricacies. Coming from someone who can multitask like no one else." He's even been getting better at it since arriving at the Carnival. Initially if he'd spoken to someone while his other body was out and about it was with more of a distracted air. If nothing else, the manor and the soul poisons had forced him to work on that.

[fortuneglass]

"That's terrible..!! Ooof..! We'll need to talk to Patrol, or maybe one of the bouncers..." Ahhhh, she's already muttering about preventing this...

But anyway. "Hmmm! Good, good! Favors are important!" she replies, quietly ignoring any sarcasm there was or might have been. "Which means now we just need to look at designs, and what to apply for the design, and-"

She's quite excited about this, isn't she.

[espigeon]

"Well, I went and bought this cape that lets me walk up walls. That helps if I stick closer to buildings. With tents, well, I'm pretty big and heavy, so I worry about what would happen." Julien shrugs, because of course he'll downplay this. "People've been pretty good about helping me out, but like, we won't be here long."

"I wish I could offer traditional mehendi designs, but neither of us is Indian, and I think you've found your inner light already," he deadpans. "I can draft up a few general concepts if you'd like, but your own ideas are important too, obviously."

[fortuneglass]

"HEHH!? Seriously!?" She knew you bought some weird shit for Wardrobe, but she didn't know about the Weird Shit for. Well. Him. "You can just sit there then..? ...Ah, but that's a good point, you could just break the tent doing that...unless maybe the magic does something to your weight..."

One can smell the experimental pondering. As it is. "Mnnh, it feels like it'd be a bit weird, if we went with traditional designs anyway. We're not very 'traditional', I don't think..."

That said. "...If it's not too much though, I like surprises~"

[espigeon]

"It might! I have no idea how it works. If my weight was just hanging off the walls something would probably break anyway, I haven't always picked particularly sturdy walls." People rarely construct walls with the intention of having someone heavy put their full weight on them. "But like, I run up walls already, so it almost makes sense to stop half way. Tent walls... well, I could always try one of the big ones, it wouldn't hurt it."

Wing assisted incline running with something his size is really something to see.

"Heh. Something to think about!" He'll have to consider something nice. Not full body. Hmm.

[insidescoop]

"Maybe the obstacle course would be a good place to test that... ...Or at least the stationary parts, to start..." Ah, well. For now, there's nothing to do but 'keep things in mind', so she just beams.

"Maybe I'll come up with a design while I'm at it~ We'll have to see!"