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| PREPARATION↴
On Day 1 of the new season, the carnival will depart from their lunar vacation and return to the regular carnival grounds. New arrivals will be given their official trailer assignments, and veterans will be asked to go over their trades with the newbies, to get them ready for the next touring location. Performers will be expected to put together some new performance routines, security and nightrunners will be asked to do some military training, etc.
Then, on Day 6, the carnival will enter its new location. Rather than integrating itself with the new world, the carnival will be connected via portal to a central park area in the city. Of course, the "vibrancy" effects mentioned below will still be allowed to leak into the carnival itself through this connection. The intent will be to spent a couple days exploring before going into Performance Week, but the carnival will be interrupted part way through their tour by the firm hand of plot.
SETTING↴
Wismuth is a large coastal city on the east shore of what would usually be the United States. The world it's part of is an Earth variant, meaning that while some aspects may be different, overall it will contain a similar look and feel to Earth many are accustomed to, including some overlapping celebrities, corporations, and technologies. Its most notable feature is that this planet is a part of what is called a 'Pillar of Creation' - a focal point of Creation's energies in the multiverse. The significance of this term will be explained in more detail as the plot moves on.
The immediate effects of this trait are that everything in Wismuth, and in the world surrounding it, is filled with an unusual sort of vibrancy - colours seem brighter, sounds seems to resonate more deeply, and all other physical sensations will strike visitors as oddly intense, including their own emotions. It's a subtle effect rather than anything that will be overtly disorientating, but it's almost as if everything is more "real" here than it is anywhere else. Obviously, the locals have had plenty of time to grow accustomed to this. On the bright side, as a tourist, you have the opportunity to experiment with this sensation as a form of recreation.
Wismuth won't read as overtly magical to anyone sensitive to such things, but magic will seem to flow with particular ease while you're here. It won't necessarily make a mage considerably more powerful, but it will put less strain on their efforts, and will somehow feel more "natural." While some realities may fight the presence of magic, this world seems quite the opposite.
Technology is somewhat more advanced here, allowing for better medical care, a healthier planet, and other mostly idyllic additions to society. Though the current year is still 2018, the qualities of this place seem to have resulted in things developing more quickly and positively. Make no mistake, though - people can still be assholes.
( MORE PLOT DETAILS BELOW ) |
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| STAR GUARDIANS↴
► COLOURS: White/Gold/Accent Colour (Accent Colours are based on one's Soul Colour.)
► STYLE: Bright, fashionable, star-motifs, modern aesthetics, a tendency towards mini skirts and tall boots. Sometimes, inhuman features appear based on their familiar.
► MAGIC: "Spark" based power, manifested in the form of a magic weapon, a familiar, a familiar that turns into a weapon, or some mixture of these elements.
► TRANSFORMATIONS: Full of colours, lights, and anime nudity, they are a wonder to behold.
Historically speaking, most Star Guardians are women, but that is not exclusively the case. Magic uniforms tend towards being feminine, but are largely based on the Guardian's personality, and so can manifest as appropriately masculine when needed.
The "Spark" is a magical focus that comes from the soul - all souls have the capability of manifesting a Spark, but it is a rare few that manage to fully harness their capabilities with the aid of Creation. A Spark is a passion, skill, or interest that becomes enhanced to the point of being almost godly. For example, a skilled musician could manifest their instrument as a weapon, and use their magic to sway the hearts of a crowd, or perhaps use its pitch to shatter stone. A lover of animals could use their bond to communicate with the wild, or summon magical beasts to their aid.
The possibilities are endless, each Spark leading to its own realm of potential. The more skilled a Guardian, the better use they will get out of their Spark, and the more it will enhance their general capabilities, such a speed, strength, and endurance. The powers of a Spark are mostly only in effect when the Guardian is transformed, which they can do but summoning the Spark from their soul and allowing it to manifest as their uniform and weaponry, in a magical light sequence that seems to both take a long time and no time at all.
Familiars can be created by the Spark or uplifted from mundane (or not so mundane) animals that the Guardian kept as a companion. While the Guardian is transformed, that familiar will become able to speak, and will be endowed with a small amount of wisdom from Creation in order to help guide their choices.
A Star Guardian's power is based on their creative potential: on the amount of light inside of them, metaphorically speaking. Those with the most to bring to the world around them will have the most to bring to the team as a Guardian.
HARBINGERS OF VOID↴
► COLOURS: Black/Gunmetal/Accent Colour (Accent Colours are based on one's Soul Colour.)
► STYLE: Gothic, elegant, formal, old fashioned, cloaks, cowls, robes, gowns, jewelry with no particular iconography or symbols, armor pieces. Sometimes, inhuman features appear, like horns or spikes.
► MAGIC: Corrupted "Spark" based power, manifested in the form of a magic weapon. They can have familiars also, but they don't have the connection required to have the familiar/weapon combo. They use their magic as a tool towards an end.
► TRANSFORMATIONS: Badass, creepy, and sometimes a bit traumatic, these sequences often involve some mild body horror and general discomfort - but boy does it look metal!
Like the Star Guardians, most Harbingers are women. Aesthetics come across as a bit gloomy and concealing - while Star Guardians dress confidently and openly, the Harbingers hide behind clothing like a shield. Though they can use familiars as mounts and attack dogs, they lack the connection to fully utilize them as a spiritual weapon.
The Harbingers also tap into their Spark to attain power, but in this case the power of that Spark is inverted. The Harbinger's intention is to destroy reality, and they are willing and ready to destroy their own Spark along with it. A Harbinger of Hope will use that hope to destroy hope. A Harbinger of Dance will use their rhythm to take away joy. That most inner part of their soul has been corrupted, and redeeming them can feel impossible at times, even though it isn't.
Even if a Harbinger signed on to the Void willingly, being made into one corrupts them more deeply than they might have anticipated. The Void will find reasons within them, ways to turn them against the Creation from which they were born. This can make them temperamental or irrational at times, but they are aware of what they're doing. Their personality and desires have simply been changed to accommodate the Void's goals. They can be purified with great effort and willpower, but it's no easy task. Most Harbingers were never truly given a choice.
Harbinger familiars cannot speak, unless they could already, though they can be corrupted out of existing creatures. Much like Star Guardians, Harbingers are chosen for their creative potential - a great inner light is sought, because they greater the light, the more violently it can be inverted. The light of a powerful Spark collapses like a dying star, creating the Void inside them.
OOC INFORMATION↴
► AVAILABLE SLOTS: There will be 12 Guardians recruited willingly, and 12 Harbinger corrupted unwillingly. (Or willingly, if your character is a freak, but that will probably be seen as treachery against the carnival.) You may only submit one character for this purpose, unless there end up being left over slots, in which case you can choose a second.
► IC RESPONSIBILITIES: If you take a slot, it is expected that you will have the ability to be reasonably active in this event, since you are taking a position that is in limited supply. If you are uncertain about your ability to keep up, consider waiting before grabbing a slot. Not every recruit will be constantly required for plot to move on, but the mods will be unhappy to see slots getting wasted.
► SLOT CLAIMING: Slot claiming will open up on Friday. If more than 12 of each apply, then you will have the opportunity to guarantee your entry with AC points via a bidding system. The remainder will be chosen from the list of applicants via RNG. |
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