riverviewlogs | introductory mingle: carnivale

Entry tags:

introductory mingle: carnivale

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Ah, he knows it, and he plays it so well. Eichi appreciates it quietly, watching his fingers and then back up to his face, and by the time the song is over, he's already lifting his hands to quietly applaud.]

Fufu, so you are familiar with things like that. I have goosebumps. ♪ Compared to my own playing, your talent is that of a real professional. Do you play often?

[He's aware he's interrupting this little show to talk and ask questions, but now's about the time for a break anyway, isn't it? He's curious.]

[How can he say no to someone wanting a bit of his time? This peacock loved to preen, and with a quick 'Back in just a moment, my darlings', Lucifer's attention was on Eichi, his hand going to a glass resting on the piano to sip from.]

Not as often as I like. My equipment is still... back home, I suppose. Haven't found anything here I'd like for my own. I heard you up the way earlier. Quite energetic, aren't we?

I've noticed that the music here is far too spread out to have any real direction. I wonder if that's why the instruments are more difficult to come across in any quality? If I could have my servants bring my own piano across time and space, then I'd gladly do so to hear you play some more.

[He chuckles, remembering when he'd had them bring the piano to his own hospital room. Good times. It was worth it. But anyway— he was recognized, then? That's good, since he's trying to become known here.]

If you saw me as energetic, then I'll consider that a compliment. This weak body of mine was resisting every move I made, but I pushed through it despite that. ♪ That's how it always is, though. Have you heard the performance of an "idol" before? It seems like something many people are unfamiliar with.

I'd say that's likely due to the bodies here coming from all different realms and worlds, yes? Music was stretched out in my own world depending on which part of it you were in. Can't say I'm surprised about this.

[Ah, his piano. Pianos. This one was nice, yes, but he found himself missing the ones he was used to. Well, one was broken to dust, but there was his private one upstairs. The one that Frank had played at with him...

Bloody nostalgia.]

Idol, idol... is that along the whole K-pop/J-pop scene? Not overly familiar, no. I frequented LA once I landed on Earth.

Once you landed on Earth? Are you originally from somewhere else? What an exciting way to put it.

[He wouldn't have believed it at first, but after six months both in space and here, he'll accept just about anything.]

But you're right, it's something like that. It must be due to that reason that things are so varied here, but I can't help but feel it's a waste if you don't get the full experience. I'm doing my best to spread what an "idol" is in this place, so perhaps you'll see more of me soon.

Do you play simply for fun, then?

Yes, I am. Hell.

[Succinctly said, but said with a smile. Nothing creepy or evil about it, but there was always something wicked dancing around Lucifer's eyes.]

There's no other reason than to play for fun. Once it's for nothing but business, it loses its passion -- don't you agree?

Hell? So are you a real demon, or are you just someone who's dirtied their hands with blood and moved forward without regret? [That's so specific, he's not subtle at all.

But really, does he take this seriously, or not? Hell? The Hell he's always referencing in his long, flowery speeches about Gods and humans and war?]

But that is a good point, isn't it? Without fun, there's nothing there. That's why I always move forward with my all and do what will help the idol industry and those around me shine rather than sit dully in the same space. Growth is important, as well, even if you must go through Hell to obtain it.

[He said that last line just to have a laugh. But really, which hell is he from, metaphorical or real-deal? Or like, does he just mean Southern California? Real questions from Eichi Tenshouin.]

Neither. I'm the Devil. Lucifer Morningstar.

[Said with an outreached hand, the Devil already waiting for the laugh or the 'sure you are', or possibly a blank look, as not everyone thought of Satan as having another name or such a charming smile.]

All this fun is making me wish I'd opted to open up another club. I miss it. The energy. The lights. The bodies.

[His voice was fond when he said it, remembering the five years he'd lived in happiness on the mortal plane. But he was still all smiles for Eichi, wondering what the young lad planned on doing here.]

You don't really seem the type to have gone through Hell. It leaves its mark.

[........................Hello Satan??

Eichi does stare at him a long while for that before stretching out his hand to take his and shake it. Firmly, politely, even if he's left-handed he's perfected a good handshake. Hearing him talk about clubs makes him want to bring up the ones he works for, two of which he'd rocketed to the head of entertainment in just the past couple of weeks.

But first, there's this whole issue of this guy being Lucifer? As far as hell leaving its mark, Eichi was certain if it left a mark on anyone it would be him. Creating a war of idols to keep the school from going stagnant and encouraged the growth of his fellow students by painting targets and issuing out threats, he was the reason for plenty of PTSD. But in the end, it's still a school, and the blood he spilled was all metaphorical, even if he did thoroughly break a few people.]

Of all people, I thought that Lucifer would know not to judge a book by its cover. Though, what should I call you to be polite, I wonder? Morningstar? I've never heard of that name at all.

[It was interesting to almost be able to see the way the boy's mind worked as he tried to figure out how to react. Still polite, still smiling, still trying not to be offensive. It might be a culture thing, as he knew most Japanese folk he'd met prided manners above most other things. His hand was taken and he smiled again, watching as Eichi tried to rationalize it into something he could understand.]

All I can do is judge by what I see. I'm not omnipotent. Lucifer will do well. Morningstar is more a play on the whole 'Angel of the Morning Star' bit. My own way of giving Dad the finger.

[Along with a few other things.]

And what about you, mm? I didn't catch a name when I went by.

Really? That is a little disappointing, Lucifer-san, but it's impressive to meet you all the same.

[He didn't even give him a -sama... The appearance of politeness is what counts the most. He's polite to an extent, and sometimes politely rude, but in this case he's very interested!]

Eichi Tenshouin. It's nice to meet you. [Nice to meet you, Lucifer?? Only Eichi.] You know, I do work at a few clubs myself, if you'd ever like to come by. My performances there aren't quite like what you've just seen from me, due to the setting, but if you miss the lights and the people, you could certainly get your fill.

[Oh, he caught that, a little quirk at the corner of his mouth as he took another sip of his drink.]

Do you? I've been to a few around here, but I can't remember seeing you. These... clubs you go to. How long have they been around? Are they easy to start up, if one were so inclined?

[He had a thought, Eichi.]

Some are more established than others. The Castle and Club Angel are the two that I happen to be head of entertainment for. There's also Resilience, and Etcetera.

[He lists them off one by one, adding a finger each time. Four!] In this place, where new culture comes and goes frequently, the length of the establishment isn't as important as the force. I wouldn't say that it was "easy" in that everyone could start a club, but I would say that those with the right charisma and connections could.

If you're interested in something like that, Lucifer-san, I could be of some help. After all, I've been deeply involved in the politics of all of this, so if you'd like to start with a bang, I could be the support to bring you plenty of visitors at your grand opening. It would be up to your skills to keep their interest, of course.

It doesn't hurt to have someone in mind when and if the need for that person so arises.

[It was Lucifer's bread and butter, after all. He made deals. He arranged things between people. He set one person up with another after reaching his fingers out to dip it in all the pies and see what flavor they were. He loved to make deals. He especially loved I.O.Us. They'd come in very handy during his work with the Detective, and he imagined the same would be true in a new environment such as this.]

I'll likely be looking into a few things. If it all goes as I plan, I'll have to give you a heads up for promotional purposes, mm? Maybe have a J-pop night? "The Idols Among Us" sort of thing.

[Eichi chuckles politely at that.]

So long as you don't call it "J-pop night," then it would be fine. Idols are idols, you know? And if you're waiting to take me up on this, then I'll likely have already climbed to fame in the entertainment world. You'll soon see my face on billboards rather than just posters, so remember that I'll have various night clubs in the palm of my hands. My word already means a significant amount, you know?

[He's not very humble, but he's not over bragging, either. He takes moves with a purpose, and he's been working on this sort of idol takeover for a while, now, even if it's just now starting to shine.]

[He might not be humble, but it certainly sounds like bragging to Lucifer. Trust him, Eichi, if anyone knew Pride, it was this one.]

We'll have to see.

[Which likely meant that yes, it was going to be called 'J-Pop Nite', just because a certain Devil liked to be contrary for the sheer joy of it.]

[He's definitely bragging, he just can back it up, so he thinks it's fine. Pride is one of the many sins he's guilty of.]

Fufu, you're free to contact me whenever you'd like. Mostly, I'd be curious to see what sort of club you'd create. [A crazy one, he's sure. But having someone else in his debt isn't a bad thing, either.] In the meantime, perhaps I should let you continue your music? I'd like to hear some more songs, myself.

I'll have to see if I can replicate what I had. I'd imagine it would be my preference for it.

[And it had been where he'd been when someone precious to him had been drawn into his life. It made sense that he'd want to recreate that. Especially with that person here.]

If you would. I'm just getting warmed up and it's been a while since I've played. But I'll certainly keep you in mind, and maybe drag someone to come see you sometime.

[Everyone gets nostalgic, after all. Even Eichi, whose first song request had been purely to remind him of times with an old friend he'd broken a little. Well, his fondness is a little more strange, it seems.]

Thank you, Lucifer-san. [He takes his step away with a smile, glancing back to the piano.] I hope you're able to find one that suits you in your time here.

[But for now, adieu! So he'll wave a little and head off just like that.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

introductory mingle: carnivale

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject