new zealand ♔ when lies turn into truth i sacrificed for you | you say that i'm frozen

[lissatrinall]

♬ where i can never be - gary numan

WHO || Lis'sa, Kenzi, Bo, Klaus, Rebekah, Mars[Closed]
WHAT || The Knights investigate a mysterious carnival that may be linked to some magical winter weather
WHERE || New Zealand
WHEN || August 11th [forwarddated]
HOW || Actionspam. Single thread, don't worry about maintaining tagging order.

Strange winds have blown in, bringing on an unusually chill winter in New Zealand. The ground crunches underfoot with snow, the days growing shoter and stars holding court in the darkness reigning above. An unnatural cold permeates the town, and the river's jubilant voice is frozen under the ice. Birds abandon their nests for warmer climes, their songs silenced by winter's grim embrace. But the frozen riverbank now hosts a shimmering respite from the gloomy cold in the form of garish tents, joyful shouts, and sumptuous smells. Vaale's Carnival has come to town.

Gaiety and laughter cut through the cold wind, and even the sky-shy sun peeks its face from around the gathering winter clouds. Children squeal with delight and gasp in awe at the sights, sounds, and smells of Vaale's Carnival. The Titan's Wheel creaks and groans as a burly lumberjack tests his might wit a hefty spin, a family rushes giggling into the sprawling ice maze to the north, and dozens of happy skaters flit about the rinks atop the frozen river. Carnival dolls are handed to wide-eyed townspeople as prizes and a menagerie of freakish creatures and glowing lights beckons the curious. Garish skirts and scanty veils call others to a different breed of voyeurism altogether. Treats and wonders abound for young and old to enjoy, and for a time, the harsh winter is forgotten in joyful revelry. There's nothing to indicate any sinister going on whatsoever, as the group surveys the happy smiles of the crowd.

* Please make a list of all items your character is carrying in an entry in their journal before tagging into this post! They are free to have requisitioned any equipment or weapons they desire beforehand.

Comments

[lissatrinall]

[ as they continue up the path, they see a small encampment of wagons and tents resting near the entrance to an ice maze. in the center of this encampment sits a tremendous iron cage. inside paces a hulking dark-haired minotaur performing displays of strength for an unruly audience of carnival goers who gawk and jeer at the giant beast. children dare one another to pull the beast's mangy hair or pelt it with snowballs, hoping to elicit a fierce snarl from the terrible creature, which then sends the kids scattering. a brightly painted plaque bolted to the bars of the cage reads, "Mighty Gradzaal! The Monstrous Minotaur!"

beyond, two tall columns of hard-packed snow mark a gaping entrance into the ice maze. shimmering ice walls climb into a mammoth labyrinth of twisting frigid corridors. ]

[morethanasidekick]

Don't sweat it kiddo. You're cute enough to get away with it. [A beat.] And legal enough for me not to wind up on a registry for saying so.

[Clapping him on the back she continues to move with the others, coming to a gawking halt when they happen upon the 'Mighty Gradzaal' but it's not so much the Minotaur that has her looking horrified (Well. Kenzi horrified anyway) but the kids who seem intent on poking and prodding him.]

Hey! [No Kenzi, they didn't run away from your less than ferocious growl.] Next time! I'mma gonna pull your hair and see how you like it! [But she's gonna take credit for it anyway.]

See this - This is why people shouldn't be allowed to breed!

[succubestie]

[Bo's expression isn't exactly pleased, either. What the fuck.]

The creature clearly doesn't belong here, let alone locked up.

[That shit will probably go south at some point. Things like that didn't stay locked up forever, even without help.]

[charismapotion]

[ He actually chuckled a bit at Kenzi's words, and followed along close until he saw what they were looking at. A ting of sympathy went through him.]

How much trouble would we get in if we set it free?

[morethanasidekick]

Oh you know. On a scale of one to ten I'm thinking an eleven... [(Wis Nat 20.)] That said? We should totally do it anyway. [(Wis 9). A+ Logic from Kenzi.]

[succubestie]

[Meanwhile Bo is being an adult today I guess (wis nat 20).]

Not now. We don't know if that thing will go berserk and there are kids around. Maybe after the place is empty.

[charismapotion]

[ Mars stood looking at the creature a moment. Offering a sad smile to the creature.]

We'll be back for you.

[ he spoke low like he would to Venus, before looking back to the girls. To follow their lead.]

[morethanasidekick]

[Awww Mars. (SM 18). Kenzi kind of just wants to hug you right now.

And then she got a Will Save of 6 so, yep. Totally just going to walk up, give you an awkward side hug with her face smushed against you and then... let go.

Don't people randomly hug people all the time?!]

Lets keep moving before I change my mind and women and children be damned.

[charismapotion]

[ He gave an awkward smile at the hug, he did tense some but he eased up and offered her a light still uneasy smile afterwards. He's odd about being touched.]

Yeah, we should go. [ He rubbed at the back of his neck and moved to follow them.]

[lissatrinall]

[ across from the entrance to the ice maze, a trio of bizarre little gnomes furtively scurries about, struggling to lug tremendous blocks of ice onto a small field on the northern riverbank. the area is roped off and signs posted about read 'Do not enter!' as ice blocks are moved into rows, the strange creatures drape the blocks with blankets to obscure them from the public view, all the while shooing away fairgoers attempting to watch. a banner above the field reads: "Gruttlemugger's Traveling Ice Carving Contest! 100 dollars to the Grandest Chipper." ]

[morethanasidekick]

Dude. You should totally enter. [Yep this is to Bo so you know the next words out of her mouth are going to be classy.]

You wouldn't even have to carve anything. Just pop a button and stand next to it and call it Ice Cube Melting.

[succubestie]

I have a feeling that would take longer than we have time for.

[They're supposed to be investigating, not trying to win a hundred dollar bill.

Besides, they have Wynn's credit cards of awesome.]

[charismapotion]

[ He chuckled at Kenzi's words. She was funny.]

[morethanasidekick]

Why must you spoil all my fun?! Plus. We're here to investigate! Maybe, there's like, something in the ice that's causing all the crazy. Maybe if we stop and and check it out, we'll find something important?!

[And maybe Kenzi should just stop talking.]

[succubestie]

Then you go ahead and enter. I don't think my boobs are going to be doing any fantastic ice sculpting by themselves.

They're good for a lot of things, but that's not one of them.

[charismapotion]

[ STAYING QUIET, AND NOT LOOKING AT ANYONES BOOBS. NOPE. This is how a guy gets in trouble, by speaking at a moment like this.]

[morethanasidekick]

How is it that you were born with a rack like that and still haven't worked out how to use them to your advantage?! D-Cups! Totally wasted on a Succubus.

[And then to explain.]

Unless any one of us can sculpt?! Your cleavage exist to distract from the fact that we haven't actually done anything. I'd do it myself but some of us aren't as qualified in that department as others.

[Smart boy! 10 points to Gryffindor.]

[lissatrinall]

[ someone runs by, barking loudly as they go: ] One hour until the fireworks display! Don't miss the grandest hour of the carnival!

[succubestie]

Now that sounds way more fun than standing next to a melting block of ice.

[charismapotion]

Yeah it does. [ of course he looks excited again.]

[morethanasidekick]

Oh - pfft. Yeah. Explosions and shiny things at a Freaknival doesn't sound ominous at all. [Wis 21]

But I'm in. [Because since when does Kenzi ever do anything that's good for her?!]

[lissatrinall]

[ a croaking voice speaks up from behind them: ]

An hour to kill? Just enough time to hear your fates. [ turning around, they'd see an old crone wrapped in an ornately patterned shawl. her dark eyes burn like charcoal. ] Only one dollar a reading.

[charismapotion]

[ Whose a fool? Mars totally is. He looked to Kenzi and Bo.]

You have a dollar? I can pay you back I just have everything on a card.

[succubestie]

[Guess who else is too?

Bo puts a hand in her back pocket and pulls out a five.]

We'll take three. You can keep the change.

[behindcloseddoors]

Goood. Good! [ she coos as she takes the money and turns to hobble back towards a tent that they swore wasn't there a few moments ago. a sign hangs outside it: "Madame Viscolla - Not only can she read your future, she can change it!" ] Come in, come in. My readings are inexpensive, but I promise - they are unforgettable. [ the inside of the tent is dim, swathed in red cloth and beads, and warm candlelight. the winter doesn't seem to touch this place, and she positions herself on the other side of a small table, in front of which they need to kneel on a rug. ] Who dares to go first?