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

Jamie Dodger (cw: quite possible sex and drug use)

[smokedout]

I

Dodger's not much for parties, being too low-energy for anything that doesn't include downers and anonymous hookups. He is one for food, though. The scent of particularly good food tends to lead him from place to place, and he can usually be found sitting on crates, dividers or fences at the edge of these impromptu parties, snacking on whatever's been made available nearby. One may notice that he sort of eats like a starving child, somehow managing to consume with reckless abandon without spilling a drop, but more noticeable is the way he scans the crowd for anything that might catch his interest. Almost like he's waiting for someone to drop dead.

If you're partying along, you may suddenly become aware that he's staring directly at you, unblinking, cramming food into his mouth with a sharp and obsessive stare. What the hell is his problem? You'll just have to confront him and find out.

IV

More importantly, Dodger's scene of choice is the kink parlors. He's ghosting around any club that keeps his interest long enough, clearly more in his element and easier to approach when the general understanding is that he's there to touch and be touched. He hasn't bothered with a shirt, which means that others will be able to see his various tattoos and his chain necklace. These tattoos include a satanic Star of Baphomet on his chest, intertwining snakes on his left forearm, and a tramp stamp in the shape of a pawprint, as well as those already plainly visible when his clothes are on. His handwraps, it seems, are staying on. And he's ditched his ratty jeans in favor of even rattier ones that barely cover anything but the essentials.

While normally standoffish, in the clubs Dodger will easily approach others, likely announcing himself by teleporting behind them and running his fingers over their back or blowing in their ear. No need to guess what he wants, from the way he approaches.. or the fact that he's almost always hanging around places catering to rougher and more safeword-heavy kinks.

1

[onblackwings]

[ Dodger isn't the only food-motivated body around here, but at least Onyx has the good sense to be staring at someone as she's tucking it away. She's got a drink in one hand and something interesting and wrapped-in-bread in the other when she first notices him, and she barely even flicks her eyes away long enough for it to be a double take when she fixes in on him.

It takes her a total of three seconds to decide that yes, this guy is definitely staring, and then she's on her way over. The rest of this bread thing can wait, first she's got to know what this guy's deal is.

As soon as she's close enough, already defensive: ] What?

[smokedout]

[He doesn't seem to blink until she's already talking to him, almost as if he'd been in a trance. Entirely possible, with how drugged-up he gets during festivities, but no - he was just calculating as much as he could tell about her from looking.]

Just enjoying the view. [She's getting a smooth smirk from him now, as if he did nothing wrong.] Need something?

[onblackwings]

[ There are at least a few things that can be told by looking. For example, although she walks with grace, it's a careful kind of grace — like someone still getting used to high heels, despite her flat shoes. And while she's put some care into appearance for this festival, most of it is in the form of dressing and accessories — hair and makeup go au naturale. Her suspicion also comes clearly written across her face and her gold eyes watch him like a predator waiting for movement.

However, she has to admit that she is a pretty good view, and this is a reasonable answer. Maybe some humans just forget to blink while they're entranced by beauty. That's fair. Her suspicion eases somewhat, and her gaze flicks down to the current handful of food he's working on. ]

What is that? [ and is it good ... and follow up, can she have it ]

[smokedout]

[It's true, she is undeniably beautiful. Gold eyes aren't a natural trait, so he's already noted that she's likely not entirely human. Whether that means a mutant or something else, that's something he'll have to figure out. If he had to guess, she looks like someone else dressed her... or like she's just starting to learn how to dress herself up. None of that crazy makeup that tends to go with a long history of needing attention.

Back to the subject at hand. Dodger shrugs lightly, and holds up the half-eaten meal for her inspection.]

A gyro.

[The most seductive of foods.]

[onblackwings]

[ A gyro, got it. She makes note of the name and the look of the thing, then suddenly remembers she's still holding her own food and drink. Right. That first.

She shifts to a slightly more casual lean next to him, to make this a little less of a confrontation, maybe more of a conversation. As she gets back to her own meal: ] Would you recommend it?

i

[finethanks]

[Well, if anyone is scanning a crowd like he's waiting for someone to drop dead, Eichi would be the first person to look to. He might be recognized as one of the performers from the festival, or from posters and various advertisements of the night clubs that he sings and dances at, but more notably than that, he's looking fairly pale. That tends to be standard for him, especially when he tries to push himself too much by getting involved in parties like this.

He has a drink in hand, and it's the only reason his face has some color. Thankfully, he's not in bad enough health today to be coughing— that would be a drag on something where people are socializing and dancing, right?

He spins out of a dance with a stranger and laughs, turning when he recognizes the feeling of being watched to spot Dodger not too far away.]

Hmm? Is there something on my face? [He reaches up with his free hand to touch his cheek as he takes a couple of curious steps over.] Or is it that you want to dance, too?

[smokedout]

[Dodger definitely recognizes him - he makes a point to know a little about everyone in the city, and Eichi doesn't make it hard to know the basics at least. After some observation he's noticed that the man looks a sort of sickly level of pale... a bit like Dodger, whose pale skin betrays him as a junkie even if everything else somehow passes one's attention.

He's a little surprised by the open invitation, though; most people who have seen him staring see it as a threat, and he takes a moment to decide if this man is naive or just pretending to be.]

Eichi Tenshouin, huh. [It's a measured response, and he takes another bite of his street taco as he decides on what to say.] Sure you should be out partying? You look like you might get sick.

[finethanks]

Fufu, I was recognized... ♪ It's the first time that's happened in a long while, so I'm a little excited hearing my full name out of nowhere like that.

[He's a strange one, that's for sure, speaking like that and openly admitting what he does. He drops his hand from his face and glances down at his drink with a curious blink.]

Oh, but do I look that bad already? I thought I was going rather easy. Besides, it's not often that I'm able to get out and enjoy things like this, so I wanted to see what it was like. [He lifts his chin again with a simple little smile. It's the same polite smile he gives everywhere, but his eyes always say a little bit more. They're sparkling like he's intrigued by every little thing right now.] "You only live once," after all, right?

[smokedout]

[Alright, after some observation Dodger has decided Eichi is just naive. Which is almost cute, but... not his type of person at all.]

Don't celebrities usually have PR people ushering them away when they're getting drunk?

[Does Eichi even count as a celebrity? Probably not, but he's got enough media attention that Dodger seems to be bitter toward him. He's never really understood why artists and musicians get recognition for their work instead of being commodities like every other type of worker.]

[finethanks]

[Well, Dodger isn't completely wrong. He is naive in a lot of ways, thanks to his spoiled and rich upbringing, but he didn't approach this man out of naivete. He plays it up well, though, and he just keeps talking, even if it's clear to him that Dodger probably wasn't staring out of any nice interest.]

Do I seem drunk? [He's flushed, so probably at least tipsy, but he'll deny that, too.] I don't have a habit of doing anything extreme that would ruin my image. I'm Yumenosaki's top idol, you know? Or I was. I suppose I've graduated now, and I'm stuck here, anyway.

You've spoken my name and you haven't introduced yourself at all. You don't have the appearance of a fan of mine, but was I wrong? I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, after all.

i.

[imperceptus]

[ Rin's not much of an eater himself, but he likes parties well enough. He likes the thrum and pulse of the crowd, the half-caught conversations, the whispers and shouts. He likes to watch people posture and impress, the failure and the success. He leans against a wall, arms folded over his chest, armor-capped nails tapping against his elbows. It's difficult for him to be totally unobtrusive--so far, no one else he's met in this place looks a damn thing like him, even the couple of other elves.

Thus, when he catches the man staring, Rin assumes it's a matter of novelty. ]

Mind yourself. You're getting crumbs all over the floor.

[smokedout]

[It is novelty, in part. It's not exactly a common sight to see someone like that, but not out of the question - even in Dodger's world, there are those who just can't blend in with normal human society because of their appearance. But after looking at him, with his pointed ears and stark white hair, Dodger has a few immediate conclusions to jump to.]

You a friend of Taako's?

[He seems to bristle a bit as Rin goes near him... he's usually not bothered just by people approaching him, but he still has healing bruises from the last time he got too close to an elf.]

[imperceptus]

'Friend' is a strong word.

[ Buddy, do you just think every elf knows every other elf? He's internally shaking his head.

He notes the bristling, too, but it doesn't perturb him; that's standard stuff for a drow. Mild, even. ]

We've only met once. Not much more than you and me, as of this moment.

[smokedout]

[Is that not how it works.

Alright, looks like he's stumbled into a racist assumption, but if it bothers him or even crosses his mind as a mistake, it doesn't show. Instead he just easily stuffs the rest of his meal into his mouth, and replies once he's swallowed it.]

Maybe there's some hope for you, then. Haven't seen you around, you a new face here?

[imperceptus]

[ Rin feels a little nauseated at the sight, but he keeps his face in order--calmly free of expression or a particular tone.

'Some hope for you.' Interesting. ]

Hardly more than a month.

[ He doesn't let a beat pass before he goes on. ]

I take it you have some friction with my extremely distant cousin.

[ Not to suggest they are literally blood-related--Rin's satisfied that they're not even from the same version of their continent--but Taako is a high elf, and they were once all one people. Millenia ago. ]

I

[mysophobic]

[ Dodger are you okay?! Shigeru is always on the out skirts of the parties and crowds and just...in general. It's easier for him this way and he can at least manage to navigate through the parade and parties with ease. He's not one for eating the food though, definitely not, considering the amount of people and the overall outdoor scene of typically everything here. He just can't...make himself do it.

But he does happen upon Dodger at one particular moment where he's staring, not at him, since he'll be skirting by via the edges of the crowds, but at someone else perhaps. Shigeru might give his shoulder a soft touch while holding up his phone. His expression is a bit concerned and a bit curious all at the same time. ]

Eating too fast isn't good for you, you know?

[ He might look into the crowd to try and see what Dodger is looking at though... ]

Are you looking for someone?

oh no that icon is aDORABLEEE

[smokedout]

[Really? Of all things, you're going to fuss over his eating habits? He doesn't even acknowledge Shigeru at first, glancing at the phone before turning his attention back to the crowd. It's only once he's read the second message, and had a minute to process that he'd even read it, that he manages a response.]

Something like that.

[With a subtle gesture, he pats the spot beside him for Shigeru to sit.]

What are you doing out? Doesn't seem like your kinda crowd.

most of his icons are (°◡°♡).:｡

[mysophobic]

[ Listen here. He motherhens the shit outta people that make him worry, okay? So he will do what he do regardless. He'll watch Dodger for a few moments more before idly sitting and the very edge of the crate. His posture is all sorts of stiff and uncomfortable though. But walking through such a crowded place puts him on edge and this has just made his phobia even worse. ]

It's not. But I...don't like my phobia keeping me from things like this. So I try to force myself out whenever I get the opportunity to. But it's...a lot bigger then I thought.

[ As Dodger will notice his hands shaking while he types that and the fact that his gloves are speckled and stained with blood...again. But he does smile back at Dodger regardless. ]

So. Who are you looking for?

shigeru is the cutest ♡

[smokedout]

[He's glancing between Shigeru's phone and the screen, but the person he'd been tracking is gone now... and he lets out a sigh before turning his full attention on the man beside him. It's only then that he notices the blood on Shigeru's hand but hey, this is also when he moves his hand from his chin and Shigeru will be able to see the cut and the week-old traces of a bruise on his lip.]

Doesn't matter... he gave me the slip again. Who got hurt?

[Also he's... reaching over to run his fingers subtly over Shigeru's lower back. Maybe lay his hand around his waist and pull him closer, if he's not stopped.]

until he disintegrates something accidentally

[mysophobic]

[ Ah! Dodger this is not what he had in mind right now. Shigeru visibly tenses when he feels those fingers run down his lower back. He might arch a little, but, really it's only to try and move away. His face is red as he fumbles to type something, before he shifts and moves to get up off the crate. ]

No one! No one got hurt. I...I just have a hard time dealing with crowds this big.

[ It makes his tics a lot worse then they normally would be too, hence his hands. He looks away momentarily as he types something again. ]

Sorry. [ He doesn't actually know why he's apologizing right now. But...he feels bad for moving away like that. ]

I

[hellshot]

[Yeah, he's completely and all too aware of being stared at. It's not like he has multiple eyes on the back of his head or anything--you just get used to the odd sensation of having eyes on you when you work so long in black ops.

It's even easier to figure out you're being watched when the culprit isn't making a single damn attempt at hiding the fact that he's staring, either. He turns his head, a purposeful slow movement to lock gazes with a certain, somewhat-stalkerish Jaime Dodger. His arms cross over his chest and he gives his head a very noticeable shake.]

...Don't you have anything better to do.

[smokedout]

[At this point, can you even give him the benefit of a 'somewhat'? There's very few days where he has free time and doesn't spend it following Reaper around behind his back... this just happens to be one of the few times he doesn't stay invisible while he's doing it.]

You know the answer to that.

[Of course he has better things to do... or at least more productive things. But at the end of the day he's a moderately trained dog, and the only thing he knows how to do well is to follow his master and stay at his heel. Even if that master doesn't want him around.]

How you holding up, boss?

[hellshot]

[He gives him a look for that 'you know' quip.]

Yes, I know. So now I see that hoping you had something else to say other than what I suspect was stupid on my part.

[And yet, here they were.]

Only vaguely falling apart today. So I'm holding out moderately fine.

[This is sarcasm.]

The people here always have something to fuckin' celebrate.

[smokedout]

[He nods lazily, finishing off the remains of whatever he'd been eating while Reaper speaks and draining a beer bottle to wash it down before replying.]

Pretty pathetic, isn't it. [He shrugs, offering another beer he'd had beside him.] They don't accomplish anything, but they're always patting themselves on the back. But at least it makes 'em open to being taken advantage of.