introductory mingle: carnivale

[riverviewmod]

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: Introductory Log and Carnivale Celebration
when: July 1st - July 9th
where: Anywhere around the city.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

carnivale

In the days leading up to July 1st, residents new and old will notice preparations beginning, a flurry of activity getting the city ready for the upcoming celebration: Carnivale. This holiday is in celebration of music, and the onset of summer and warmer weather. The celebrations are marked by street parties, an extensive program of live musical performances, with a large parade (and paid holiday!) capping it off on July 8th.

celebrating music, and summer

After a couple of months of low-key or even solemn celebrations, it's time for Riverview Quarantine to throw a good, old-fashioned party. Carnivale is a city-wide festival that pretty much everyone gets into, and many residents take the entire week off so they can enjoy all the festivities. With events ranging from impromptu street parties, free live musical performances, food stands, themed club nights, adult lounges with kink shows, and topped off with a massive party parade, the holiday has a lot to offer for anyone who likes to sing, dance, and show some skin!

i. street parties and food

One of the staples of the Carnivale festival is the spontaneous street parties and food trucks and carts. It's not unusual during the holiday to turn a corner and run into a group of people dressed in bright colors and sequins having an impromptu party with a few drinks, and then be invited to join right in! Carnivale is a celebration of music as well as summer, so most shops and stalls will be blasting danceable music into the streets to facilitate these little street parties - it's considered a sign of good luck for the owner of a business if an impromptu Carnivale celebration starts up in front of their door.

Considering the proliferation of street parties and people out and about to celebrate the warmer weather, local business owners also take to the streets. Food carts, stands, and trucks pop up on almost every street corner offering a wide variety of food from savory treats to sweet desserts. Many of the carts are offering one free item to anyone dressed up for Carnivale - anything shimmery, shiny, or brightly colored will do!

ii. live musical performances

One of the major roads in the city center has been completely roped off for the entire week, and all along this street, various temporary stages have been set up, each with a nice hefty sound system. Volunteers hand out printed flyers, and digital boards are set up here and there with schedules of various performances that are all free to attend, ranging from well-known popular music artists to new up-and-comers or independent artists who are looking to make a name for themselves. This event is very widely advertised around the city, and is accepting entries until the very last minute.

At couple of the acts might be familiar faces to some of the residents.

Eichi Tenshouin has signed up himself and his friend Tsumugi Aoba into the music festival as a first-time appearing idol unit called "Higanbana." Dressed in all white with splashes of color (blue, largely, with only their headsets being a red spider lily), they carry a very commanding and angelic image together. They'll have a routine that emphasizes their great harmony with each other, taking turns doing solo lines and joining together to show off each of their talents. Singing and dancing, they interact heavily with the audience and will encourage a lot of involvement with speaking between songs and gestures, winks, and so on. Basically, they intend to make this Riverview's very first prominent "idol performance".

For his performance, Otabek Altin will start with rock remixes of a few popular pop songs. He wants to make sure that it starts off with recognizable pieces for some people, and he certainly thinks it is something that could get people excited even if they don't know it. Then, it shifts into a few original songs. They are upbeat, rock songs that he put together with the intention to make people dance and move, since he is a DJ. He'll end his set with a slower piece he put together that is also an original. Through the entire performance, he's focused and quiet, though he may occasionally try and excite the crowd with a few words.

Any other player-characters who are musically inclined are more than welcome to assume their character was fit in for a performance, and can post up a top-level with a rundown of their performance to get bonus Activity Points for posting a mingle!

iii. carnivale parade

The other main attraction of Carnivale week comes on July 8th, which is a paid holiday for everyone in the city. The Carnivale Parade will be starting out by City Hall and winding through downtown in a lazy pattern so everyone in the city has a chance to see it. There will be all sorts of floats, dancers, marching bands, with all sorts of clubs, businesses, and other organizations represented. The theme is theatrical, big and showy, bright and colorful, sparkly and shiny, with loud music and lots of glitz and glamour. Observers can expect great music, excellent dancing and marching shows, neat vehicles provided by classic car clubs, the fire, police, and Perimeter Guard. They can also expect a lot of party favors, whether it's a sparkly plastic beaded necklace, a fan to take the edge off the heat, candy, popsicles, a temporary tattoo, or any number of other little treats or toys to be tossed into the crowd - some of them fit for kids and teens, others of a more 'adult' nature handed out a bit more discreetly to anyone who looks the part.

And make sure you wear your waterproof mascara - Carnivale floats have a tendency of spraying or spritzing water, both in an unspoken competition to see who can make the biggest water-refraction rainbow in the air, and to keep observers cool in the new summer heat.

iv. adult: lounges and kink exhibition

Thanks to the Carnivale tradition of showing as much skin as possible, some event organizers' minds have turned to topics of a more adult nature. In the evenings, residents may see clubs doing "lounge nights"; these adults-only events have bouncers IDing everyone at the door to ensure they're 18+. The themes may vary, from very specific niche themes like 'golden age superheroes' to broad themes like 'rainbows,' and each event is clearly marked as what it is - all-nude or clothing-optional, and can host events ranging from amateur to professional exotic dancing, food served off of nude bodies, anonymous masked hookups, or just provide a comfortable space where casual sex is encouraged with whoever happens to be around. Various legal substances can be found at these lounges, but nothing that would cause violation of consent, and every substance would be clearly labeled and have warnings to ensure that no one partakes unless they choose to. Please be sure to warn in the subject line for sexual content or drug use (since some mild party drugs are legal in Riverview).

For the weekend from July 7th-9th, there will be a kink exhibition in one of the large exhibition centers downtown, limited to characters 18+. The exhibition is a sexy adult informational convention featuring various kinks and fetishes. Whether you're into leather, latex, lace, or anything else, you'll be able to find the clothes, toys, guides, books, erotica, fiction, and a wide variety of other interesting stuff to explore. While the atmosphere is sex-positive and there are private and public (for the voyeurs and exhibitionists in the room) venues for having sex, it's definitely focused on exploration and information about different stuff to try.

v. roommates or wildcard

Feel free to use this prompt to meet new roommates, for the purpose of getting to know each other, or hit up one of the mod-posted prompts for each Communal Floor. Or if you have an idea for a prompt that isn't in this list, set during Carnivale, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: image i: Roger Patterson Jr.; image ii: Syd Mead; image iii: screencap from the movie Paprika; image iv: siamon89

navigation

Comments

iv

[winscenario]

[ Jim's been walking around the place on his own for a little while now. While he is thinking of bringing Bones along eventually, he knows it'll take a bit of convincing, what with how private and shy the doctor tends to be. It doesn't hurt to get his hands on some information, though, or at the very least pamphlets he can show him so he can see the sort of place it is.

He's just reaching out for one of those BDSM leaflets when another hand does the same, and he withdraws. ]

Sorry— go ahead. [ He gestures to the pamphlets, smiling as he looks up to the man's face. The trace of familiarity is almost instant, even if he looks older, but Jim speaks before he thinks twice of it. ] —Loki?

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki blinks before scrutinizing the man. He's not in the habit of forgetting faces, but there is something to be said about madness and memories. But the second answer comes quickly enough. ]

Yes and no. I see you've met my other self.

[winscenario]

[ It clicks in Jim's mind easily enough, and after a moment's pause, his posture shifts. He smiles, though, even as he ducks his head somewhat apologetically. ]

Yeah, I have. He's a friend of mine. Sorry for the mixup. [ He offers a hand easily for a shake. ] Jim Kirk. Jim works just fine.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Jim. Recognition flashes in his eyes, clear as day and Loki's stance changes. It's not threatening but there's something . . . overt about it. Like Jim's been placed under a microscope. He takes it gracefully. ]

In a place like this, such little mix-ups are bound to occur. All is forgiven.

[winscenario]

[ Jim notes the little shift, though it doesn't bother him much, particularly when there's nothing threatening about it. The other Loki had recognized him by name alone when they first met, so he wonders briefly if that might be it, too. ]

Right. They just usually don't happen in the middle of a kink expo. [ Not that Jim's even barely shy about it, mind. He doubts Loki is, if he's anything like... well, himself. ] How long have you been here? At the Quarantine, I mean.

[dothelokimotion]

Two months. I imagine it has been a bit longer for yourself and my counterpart.

[ This was a strange beginning. Normally, Loki forms his own impressions and keeps to them, but all he can think about was the doctor's heartfelt declarations and whether this man fits them. ]

[winscenario]

[ That is still a considerable window of time, and Jim is a little surprised they haven't crossed paths before. ]

Just one more month, in my case. Loki was here before me, though. I think he's going on four months now.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki does keep to himself and his line of work would not coincide with Jim's. ]

How did the two of you meet?

[winscenario]

[ Doesn't take him much to think back to his first encounter with the other Loki, and he smiles faintly at the memory. ]

He was horribly hungover and he tripped up and bumped into me at the park. Tried to bribe me to make him my first officer.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki blinks. That was not what he expected. ]

He can get drunk?

[winscenario]

Oh, yes. Either drunk or high as a kite. [ There's a bit of a quirked eyebrow here, and a curious look aimed at the god. ] You can't?

[dothelokimotion]

I would not say I cannot.

[ But that's not easily done. Fascinating. He shrugs carelessly. ]

Simply that we have a higher tolerance than mortals.

[winscenario]

Well, maybe he just had a lot to drink, or he got his hands on something particularly strong. But you'd have to ask him yourself, since I wasn't there for the actual party.

[ Just the entertaining aftermath. ]

[dothelokimotion]

[ A mock sigh. ]

It seems I must.

[ Then he gestures to the displays. ]

Shopping for your doctor?

[winscenario]

[ That just gets a silent stare from Jim, his look puzzled before he answers. ]

No, I prefer shopping with my doctor.

[ Tipping his head slightly. ] You've met Bo— Leonard?

[dothelokimotion]

[ He clicks his tongue. ]

He has a habit of feeding strays.

[winscenario]

[ Jim grins and chuckles at that. ]

He has a habit of adopting strays too, so fair warning. He can hover a little when he cares.

[dothelokimotion]

I'm hardly a stray.

[ This is a lie. Loki wanders and looks exactly a stray. Even if he's one who dresses one, he weaves in and out with no real destination in mind, no goal in sight. ]

[winscenario]

You were the one who used that word first, I'm just rolling with it.

[ Unless Loki was talking about some other stray, but that hardly makes much sense. ]

[dothelokimotion]

Well. I suppose I look the part.

[winscenario]

You said it, not me.

[ And he's not about to agree or deny, especially when he barely knows him. ]

Assuming he tried to feed you and rope you into staying for dinner— you're always welcome to drop by our place if you ever feel like it. [ He might also be a little prone to picking up strays. It's a contagious habit. ]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki blinks, caught off guard by the offer. ]

Ah . . . there is no need.

[winscenario]

[ Kindness seems to surprise Loki. Not that Jim wasn't expecting it to a degree, but he makes note of it anyway. ]

I know. I'm not offering because you might need it, but because you might want to.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Kindness always unsettles Loki. It unsettled him enough to even allow himself to follow Bones for pie. His gaze is abrupt and sharp as if trying to gain the measure of a man. ]

Is it not dangerous to assume a person's wants?

[winscenario]

[ Jim's lips quirk in amusement. It's not an accusation but it skirts close enough, though he doesn't look particularly worried or apologetic. ]

That's why I used the word 'might'. Wasn't aware I was assuming anything.