Cirque de Noir - COME IN~!

[Mad Scarlet]

It comes without warning...

(This RP is heavily based off of "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern.)

Every now and again, you might notice a circus appear just down the road, hidden just beyond sight of the rest of your town or city. It is said to come without warning, but no one is to be afraid. It is a wonderful place, as its followers say, filled with wonders that you'll only see there. Whether it will come back to your town once again is a chance that you cannot take, for no one knows where it will pop up next. Although, you may wander up to the fence that surrounds it during the day; you will notice that there is a sheet of paper that hangs up on the gate stating: "Welcome to Cirque de Noir! Alas, we are only open at night--which is the best time to seek the pleasures of our performers. Our gates shall be open at dusk, and please remember to bring your ticket!" At first, you may seem confused about why someone would go to the circus after sundown, but it was even more confusing to see 'remember to bring your ticket'. Who would have a ticket before the show began? Before you can think anything else, you look on the ground before you and notice a silver envelope with your name written upon it. Now that's creepy.

Upon taking it home, truly thinking to yourself whether you should open it or not, you choose the first option. Taking out the small sheet of silver paper, you realize that this the the ticket that you are not to forget when you reach the gates. The back of the ticket states: "We thank you for the brief amount of time it took to come grab your ticket! The Cirque de Noir shall be here for one night--and one night only! Please, do not bring any friends, relatives, or loved ones along if they did not receive a ticket themselves!"

This is becoming stranger and stranger, but you decide that it will be worth your time. Why not? It's not like you have anything better to do. That, and it seems like it shall be a decent show. You may even chuckle to yourself and begin to daydream about the wonders that this circus shall hold.

-- PROLOGUE END --

"It's an odd circus--but astounding! Unlike other circuses, they have hardly any color to be seen. Everything is black, white, and grey; perhaps to add to the air of mystery that surrounds this place. There are many tents scattered about and the food is phenomenal! I've been to at least five of their circuses, but I've yet to see everything that they have hidden there, but from what I have seen: I am in love with this place. The magicians seem to be able to perform real magic! Acrobats never fall and appear to walk off the ropes more often than on them! Even the animal tamers seem to be able to speak with the creatures themselves! Everything is truly magical! I would sell my soul to the ringmaster in hopes of being able to call this place my home!"
- Timothy McGregor, Cirque de Noir enthusiast

Everything within the fence is magical to the naked eye. There are no colors to distract the audience as they wander from tent to tent, exploring every nook and cranny that they can manage to find. Each tent holds a new wonder, a new magic, that they could never have possibly imagined. But that's the catch-- everything that you see is real. There are no tricks, no mirrors, no illusions-- just pure magic. The performers aren't just your average folk, they come from every walk of life, and they all have a talent that makes them more than average. Those that are "worthy" to see these people are lured to the front gates during the day to be given a ticket.

Even though the actors and actresses put on wonderful acts and show feats that would have normally been impossible--they are not as happy as their face would like to say. For the protection from their peers, they must pay the price. If they are to be kept with the circus and away from those that would normally prosecute them, they are bound to the circus by giving away their soul. Not only are they chained there, promised happiness and protection, they are also forced to live on for eternity. And they may never leave. Many of the performers have been there for years and others have been there for centuries. They can never age, never grow ill, and they can never leave. They are merely marionettes of the ringmaster, Madame Sombre, a lovely woman with wicked intentions.

So... will you come to the circus tonight?

ROLES TAKEN

- Illusionist/Magician -
- Fortune Teller -
- Mime -
- Horse Master -
- Swordswallower -
- Ringmaster's Assistant -

[Little Miss Arsenic]

I'm definitely interested in this!

[Mad Scarlet]

Yay~! :)

well, since you're the first one to show interest, I'm giving you the chance to pick what character that you'd like to play. My character is going to be a magician/illusionist. You may pick whatever you'd like. ^_^

[ErsatzEmperor]

Oh, this sounds like fun... Would a slight ounce of reality-warping mime/clown shenanigans be called for/accepted? Because if so, I'm down.

[Silent]

Interested. Still very much on the fence about joining it or not, though. I could use a little more information about the roles. What is "Magic?" More specifically, what are your limitings on it and/or general things you can tell me about it? Also, what's the immortality like? Do characters heal? Can they even get hurt? Or are they just not able to die?

[Mad Scarlet]

ErsatzEmperor said
Oh, this sounds like fun... Would a slight ounce of reality-warping mime/clown shenanigans be called for/accepted? Because if so, I'm down.

I think that would be really cool. When I read that, I imagined Elizabeth from Bioshock Infinite. XDD But I think that it would make for a wonderful twist, especially if they were a mime and could only show other dimensions as their way of speaking.

Silent said
Interested. Still very much on the fence about joining it or not, though. I could use a little more information about the roles. What is "Magic?" More specifically, what are your limitings on it and/or general things you can tell me about it? Also, what's the immortality like? Do characters heal? Can they even get hurt? Or are they just not able to die?

Any role that you would see at a circus or carnival is open for the taking, except the ringmaster, of course. The "magic" that I'm speaking about is extremely talented folk. In the illusionist's case, she could preform actual feats like vanishing and creating doves from handkerchiefs. Does that kind of make sense? It's like the stage magic is actual magic, like it's really being transformed. The type of "magic" that your character could use would be solely based on what role you wanted to play. Like a tamer, for instance, could actually be able to transform into animals and speak to them as if they were people. A fortune teller could actually tell you your future if they chose to give you the full truth.

And the immortality... ah, this is going to be one of my favorite twists. The immortality is something that prevents the members from dying. They can get injured and sick, but they heal at an abnormally fast rate. Aging-wise, they never age. They are trapped in a sort of time limbo where they can not move forward nor can they move backwards. Their body performs regular functions, such as consuming food and drinking liquids, as well as expelling them. They are fairly normal, except for the healing and aging part. Due to the healing part, they are unable to die. They no longer possess souls, as they are part of the circus as a whole--that's what powers the circus and gives it an air of mystery. Say an acrobat were to fall from the ropes, which is highly unlikely but still possible, something or somebody would catch them. Most likely a rope would wrap around their legs and prevent them from hitting the ground.

And I'm sure you can imagine how many of the older performers would like to be able to move on and simply die, but they can't. Leaving the circus would only drive them mad and bring them back, and they can't commit suicide or get ill enough to fully kill off their bodies.

Hopefully this makes sense.

[Tyrant from the West]

Hello! Sorry to ask but im a little confused, so we would be taking the roles of the people who perform in the circus? Because i thought we would be playin as the guys who are invited to it.

[Mad Scarlet]

Whether you play as a person who comes to the circus and happens to get sucked into it (say it activates some hidden power that you have or you are selected to be a stagehand of some sort) or as someone who has been trapped there for centuries is completely up to you. I want you to have the choice of being introduced to the sorrow of the performers or to be able to have struggled as part of the circus for years. ^_^

Hope that makes sense!

[Tyrant from the West]

Ok, thanks for clarifying! It makes perfect sense.

[PrincessOfMyBedroom]

I'm interested! It you don't mind I'd like to be the fortune teller. But instead of just being a seer, having them a psychic.

[Mad Scarlet]

Yup, you may have the fortune teller. ^_^ Since so many people seem interested, I'm almost tempted to put the OOC and whatnot up.

[ErsatzEmperor]

Mad Scarlet said
I think that would be really cool. When I read that, I imagined Elizabeth from Bioshock Infinite. XDD But I think that it would make for a wonderful twist, especially if they were a mime and could only show other dimensions as their way of speaking.

Ooh, hadn't even thought of that, yeah. But thanks for the go ahead on that.

[Silent]

Mad Scarlet said Any role that you would see at a circus or carnival is open for the taking, except the ringmaster, of course. The "magic" that I'm speaking about is extremely talented folk. In the illusionist's case, she could preform actual feats like vanishing and creating doves from handkerchiefs. Does that kind of make sense? It's like the stage magic is actual magic, like it's really being transformed. The type of "magic" that your character could use would be solely based on what role you wanted to play. Like a tamer, for instance, could actually be able to transform into animals and speak to them as if they were people. A fortune teller could actually tell you your future if they chose to give you the full truth.

And the immortality... ah, this is going to be one of my favorite twists. The immortality is something that prevents the members from dying. They can get injured and sick, but they heal at an abnormally fast rate. Aging-wise, they never age. They are trapped in a sort of time limbo where they can not move forward nor can they move backwards. Their body performs regular functions, such as consuming food and drinking liquids, as well as expelling them. They are fairly normal, except for the healing and aging part. Due to the healing part, they are unable to die. They no longer possess souls, as they are part of the circus as a whole--that's what powers the circus and gives it an air of mystery. Say an acrobat were to fall from the ropes, which is highly unlikely but still possible, something or somebody would catch them. Most likely a rope would wrap around their legs and prevent them from hitting the ground.

And I'm sure you can imagine how many of the older performers would like to be able to move on and simply die, but they can't. Leaving the circus would only drive them mad and bring them back, and they can't commit suicide or get ill enough to fully kill off their bodies.

Hopefully this makes sense.

It does make sense, thank you. ^^

[MissCapnCrunch]

Also interested. I have a sword swallow-er who is looking for work. (:

[Stitches]

Take my interest; It looks like a good RP to get into the swing of things again! I'd like to reserve an equestrian act, if that's alright. (I'm not too sure of the proper term for it - Equestrian performer? It's a circus show with horses.)

I just wonder what the rules are for immortality with the animals - are they also chained to the circus? Can they die, and get sick? Admittedly, it would be a pain in the behind if the horses died every couple of decades and new ones have to be re-trained, not to add the concept of how much that would cost all of the time.

And do we get one power, or multiple?

Anyway, take my interest, and I eagerly await the OOC!

[QT]

So the ringmaster position/role is already taken correct? By the main antagonist?

Or is Madame Sombre just overlook the whole circus act?

Cuz I'd be interested in playin the ringmaster.

[Mad Scarlet]

Wonderful to see that a couple more people are interested!

I'll make the OOC promptly!

[Mad Scarlet]

QT said
So the ringmaster position/role is already taken correct? By the main antagonist? Or is Madame Sombre just overlook the whole circus act? Cuz I'd be interested in playin the ringmaster.

We could have an assistant ringmaster? I mean, I was hoping to keep Mistress Sombre to be an NPC and viewed as the main antagonist. But I think having someone who she trusts the most out of the rest of the performers would be cool. ^_^

[Mad Scarlet]

FIND THE OOC HERE~! MAKE YOUR PROFILES~!

[QT]

Mad Scarlet said
We could have an assistant ringmaster? I mean, I was hoping to keep Mistress Sombre to be an NPC and viewed as the main antagonist. But I think having someone who she trusts the most out of the rest of the performers would be cool. ^_^

Then I'd like to reserve the ringmaster position. I'll have a character up tomorrow or midnight tonight cuz I'm off to work right this moment.