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

Yeah, dude, let's not kill yourself healing some other dipshit. That'd be kinda pointless.

[Eichi can he like... put you in a bubble......]

Even if my life is going to be shorter than theirs?

[He chuckles lightly though, and it's unclear how serious he is about that. He needs a bubble, honestly.] Thank you for caring, Taako-kun.

You go down that route and you basically justify any elf or dwarf offing other races for their own gain.

[It's a different kind of situation, but Taako thinks the point stands.

He's not going to address the caring thing bc don't call him out like that, Eichi.]

I can't say that I'm the type of person who wouldn't crush others for my own gain.

[He says it thoughtfully, a little too tipsy to especially care about what shocking things come out of his mouth. He barely cares to begin with, anyway.]

Don't worry. I don't intend to die.

Oh, same here, for sure, but you don't wanna get into blanket philosophical shit like that.

[He's not sure if he's surprised or not to hear that Eichi apparently has a bit of a ruthless streak, but... he doesn't care.]

Good to know, though. No one else in this place has the same flair you do, it'd get real boring.

Flair, do you think so?

[He looks a little pleased by that, chuckling as he folds his arms.] I hope to spread that "flair" as far as I can. Whether Tsumugi joins me or not, I intend to perform more often, so I hope Taako-kun can make it to one of them.

[He gives a sort of duh look, because of course he's got flair, that's like... Eichi's whole deal.]

I wouldn't miss it for the world, pumpkin. But you gotta answer one question for me first.

What's that?

[Give him the question, hit him, he's ready for it.]

What's the word you say after my name?

[He's not bothered by it, just curious, figuring it's a cultural thing but not knowing enough about Earth to place it.]

"-kun?"

[It's always interesting to come across language things despite the translating. Some things can't properly be translated, after all, or at least that's what he assumes. Even tipsy (or drunk), he can explain this.]

It's called an honorific. There are different honorifics that carry different meanings depending on the context. In this case, it's meant to seem friendly, as well as show that I revere you. Hmm, but since I was using it from the beginning, you can tell that it's a social thing, right? Even if I do admire Taako-kun quite a bit. ♪

[Oh, that's kind of sweet.]

At least some people in this place have good taste. [Since Eichi admires him, apparently. He's so pleased.] Would it be polite to use one for you?

[Languages are Rad and he likes diving into them a little, even if the translators here make it mostly unnecessary.]

Fufu... Something formal and extra polite would be to call me by my last name with a formal honorific like -san afterwards, but that's so boring, and I resent my family name a little. You can call me "Eichi-kun" if you'd like. In your case, since you're older than me, it makes sense to use an honorific like that in this context.

So you see how it applies differently? But you know, I never minded you calling me by just my name. It's a little offensive, but I'm so used to hearing things like "Tenshouin-sama" and "Eichi-sama" and "President" and "Emperor," you know? I like to hear something a little closer.

[Taako is, honestly, pretty rude to most people, even if he likes them, but he can understand that there's cultural things that he should probably respect, so he actually listens to Eichi's explanation.]

I mean, good call there, you're outta luck if you think I'm gonna call you Emperor. [It's said with a smile though.] Is it kinda like if someone was calling me by the nickname my sister uses for me? Over-familiar, I guess?

[Just to make sure he's got it.]

[He simply laughs at the Emperor comment. Good, good...]

At its simplest, that's exactly right. You catch on quickly.

[He's pleased! He likes talking about this sort of thing, since sharing cultures is interesting.] Using the wrong honorific could be demeaning, and so can dropping the honorific with the wrong person. Or, in this setting, you'll simply be a foreigner.

But from now on, whatever Taako-kun chooses to call me will be with some sort of intention, so you can't excuse yourself. I wonder what I'll be called... [Say his name say it he wants to hear]

Fuck, I played myself, huh?

[He could've gotten away with not knowing, but now whatever he chooses is deliberate and says something one way or another.]

That's a lotta pressure, bubbale, I don't get any time to decide?

[PSYCH he'll just stick to pet names.]

[Aw man, that's cheating! Still, it earns a laugh that Eichi politely covers his mouth for.]

Since we're asking questions like this, what does "bubbale" mean? I've never heard it before.

Little bean.

[He reaches out to very lightly bop Eichi on the nose.]

But kinda vaguely, you know? It's a term of endearment, my aunt used to call me that.

[LITTLE BEAN... That actually surprises Eichi, along with the bop on his nose, and it shows in his face before he laughs again, cheeks going a little pink.]

It's not often that people call me things like that, so I'm a little happy... ♪ [He's such a loser.] What a cute term of endearment that is.

[That's sweet.]

Everyone's probably convinced you're way too cool for that sorta thing.

[It's half playful, half genuine. It seems like the way Eichi's used to living isn't quite so relaxed, as it is here.]

Fufu, rather than anything like that, it's actually that they're afraid. I'm the scion of a huge financial conglomerate, and though enough time has passed that I should have graduated by now, I was the student council president and top idol at my school.

[That's not the reason they're afraid, on the idol side, but whatever, close enough.]

Mm, but I was interrupting Taako-kun here, wasn't I? Maybe I should be on my way and investigate all the different parties there are in this place. ♪ I'm feeling in good health.

So the Emperor thing wasn't that far off?

[That's the next best thing to royalty, it seems, even if Taako's still used to a more typical kind of aristocracy.]

And we're good, but if you wanna keep exploring don't let me stop you.

[They've stopped talking about sex at least, so he's fine to keep chatting.]

Well, I wasn't as much of an Emperor as I wanted to be, but everyone still considered me as such. I was a tyrant.

[He admits this. Smiling still, he raises a hand in a little wave, taking a step back.]

I can always find Taako-kun again later, right? But it's not often that my health is well enough to be out like this, so I'll go enjoy it while I can.

[Honestly: goals.]

Well hey, go enjoy the shit outta this whole thing then. Just don't do anything I wouldn't.

[What a funny joke.]

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

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject